(Todd Rose/ Daily Press photo) Forest Park’s Ema Stepien (12) hits the ball as Carney-Nadeau’s Liana Blahnik (9) blocks Wednesday night in Carney during a Division 3 district semifinal match.

By Todd Rose

For The Daily News

CARNEY — The Carney-Nadeau Wolves downed the Forest Park Trojans 3-0 (25-9, 25-9, 25-14) in a Division 4 district semifinal Wednesday night in Carney.

“Tonight we challenged the girls to stay sharp and communicate,” said Wolves’ coach Steve Kedsch. “Taylor (Kedsch) and Liana (Blahnik) are tough to stop once we get them in a groove, and they were both hitting well tonight.”

Blahnik started the first set off scoring the Wolves’ first three points with plays at the net. Blahnik also led the Wolves on an 11-point run, including four aces, to bring the score to 16-2.

The Trojans went on a short run led by Paige Mianecki to make it 16-7, but the set was clinched for the Wolves’ on a kill from Haley Ernest.

Set two started similarly as Blahnik notched the Wolves’ first point. Malorie Baumler then took the Wolves’ on a short run that included two aces to jump ahead 6-2. After a pair of kills from Forest Park, Blahnik led another Wolves’ run, bridging the gap from eight to 13 points and earning two more aces. She ended the night with eight.

Forest Park’s Ashlynn Mianecki scored an ace during the second set, as well.

The Wolves amassed a nine-point lead in the third set, 16-7, before Rayven Jacobsen led the Trojans on a five-point run bringing the score to 16-13. Carney wrapped up the match with two short runs from Heidi Kirschner and Blahnik, each earning an ace.

“I thought Heidi (Kirschner) stepped up tonight,” coach Kedsch said. “The more balanced we can be, the better off we can be through this tournament.”

Kedsch also gave credit to Ernest for making many of the Wolves’ plays a possibility.

“Our setter’s the one who is actually setting up all the plays and getting the ball to those girls in spots they can hit,” he said

Carney will move on to face North Dickinson in the finals tonight, a team the Wolves haven’t competed against since the beginning of the season.

“There were some things they did that gave us some trouble,” said Kedsch. “We worked on that in practice the other night, so hopefully we’re prepared for them. Hopefully we play our game and make them make the adjustments.”

For the Trojans, the volleyball season comes to a close after just 10 matches played.

“It was a tough loss, but Carney is a phenomenal team. We knew that coming into it,” said Trojans’ coach Bobbie Jo Anderson. “I think a lot of this season’s outcome is based on lack of game time. Normally we play ten games in the first two weeks with an invitational.”

The lack of game time, said Anderson, took away opportunities for the Trojans to mesh as a team.

“Hopefully next year will be a little more normal for us, and we can have more games to work through those things,” she added.

Anderson also pointed out the effort of Paige Mianecki.

“Paige has been our hustler all year. She’s going after everything,” Anderson said. “We’re definitely going to miss her next year and her positive attitude.”

Also going after the ball all night for the Trojans was sophomore Ashlynn Kannich.

“Ashlynn is just a phenomenal player,” said Anderson. “She gives 100 percent all the time. I would love to have her as a libero down the road.”

At the end of their abbreviated season, Anderson is satisfied with the Trojans’ performance.

“I’m proud of the girls, they gave it their all tonight, and unfortunately, we fell short,” she said.