By Oliver Goldesberry | September 18, 2026 | Sports
Haskell Varsity Volleyball faced the No.5 team in the nation, the McPherson Bulldogs, and lost 0-3 in a competitive set two. Haskell lost sets one and three by 15-plus, but that doesn’t reflect the game they played.
Haskell started set one in an 8-1 hole, with a kill by Mya Dalgai for first point. Haskell went on to have their lowest-scoring set, losing 7-25 with kills from Jaspen Ellenwood, Tressa Jim and Mecca Goldsberry.
Set two was down to the wire, 6-9, before a call that got a loud groan and boos from the crowd set Haskell back to 7-15 before Haskell’s first timeout. Haskell clawed back as Dalgai, Jayla Flient and Aubree Savage each recorded a kill and block. The game wouldn’t be close down the stretch, but it was within reach; another rough call from the ref prompted some loud boos. Haskell would be too much as they lost set two 17-25.
Hailey Kelsey on why set two should show that this team can be good even on an off night: “We can do it, we can compete as a team, and not all of us showed up today, but once we all get our chemistry together, once we find our sweet spot, we are going to do good.”
Set three was better than set one but not by much, as Haskell kept it close at the start, tying the game at 4-4 before falling quickly behind 4-13. The McPherson coach had to step in and tell the refs they made a mistake and gave one of Haskell’s points to them; the refs would reverse it. Haskell would lose the set 10-25 and the game 0-3.
Kelsey on sets one and three: “I feel like it won’t affect us mentally.” She continues what the second set meant to the team, “The second set we kept up with them, and with them being top five in the nation, I feel like we can compete.”
With this home loss, Haskell officially falls to 3-4 at home and will return for a three-game round-robin on Sept. 23, with games at 3 p.m. against the Missouri Valley Vikings and 7 p.m. against the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes.
Kelsey to the fan who might see that Haskell currently sits under .500 at home and might not come to support, “Please keep showing up; we love the support, we love the fan base and we really do appreciate the fans who continue to show up.”
Stat leaders in the game were Jim with four kills, Ellenwood with one ace, Flient with four blocks, Ellenwood with five assists, and Alaina Dugi with six digs.
