Wolves honor seniors, end regular season on a hot streak; 7A tournament begins with home games Monday and Wednesday
The final chapter of a grand volleyball story will be written over the next two-to-three weeks.
Seven Ely seniors played their final regular season home game Tuesday, as the Timberwolves blew out Class AAA Rock Ridge to end the regular season on a 12-game winning streak.
They’ll get the chance to play on their home court at least once and probably twice this week, as the Section 7A playoffs begin, but head coach Megan Bialik and the rest of the Wolves are hoping that’s just the start of a lengthy playoff journey.
Perhaps one that ends in St. Paul at Grand Casino Arena, where the state tournament will be held next month.
“I don’t want it to end,” Bialik said of the 2026 campaign, the latest in a string of stellar seasons for the Wolves.
Ely, which finished the regular season 23-4 and ranked ninth in the state in Class A, is clearly a contender for what would be the program’s fourth 7A title in five seasons.
“We would love to make it all the way,” said Bialik. “I don’t want it to end at all.”
The Wolves are seeded second in the north half of the section and will face Northeast Range in a first-round playoff game at 6 p.m. Monday.
A quarterfinal matchup with Mt. Iron-Buhl would likely follow Wednesday at home, with the 7A semifinals set for Rock Ridge on Friday, Oct. 30, with games at 5:15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.
The 7A final is back at Rock Ridge on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
The Wolves seem to be rounding into form at the right time.
After dropping a five-set thriller to Chisholm, the Wolves recovered and won twice against high-caliber competition at the Class A Showcase in Burnsville.
Ely has only dropped one set since, even surviving a grueling October stretch that included nine games in nine days.
A recent break came at the right time, according to Bialik and the Wolves seemed to fire on all cylinders against Rock Ridge, on a night in which the program recognized seniors Gretta Lowe, Ruby Lowe, Peyton Huntingon, Lydia Shultz, Charlotte Hegman, Audrey Kallberg and Amelia Penke. “I feel like tonight felt like the best that we have been playing,” said Bialik. “I think we had a little more fun, and that we had taken some of the pressure off. Going into the playoffs it felt like it was exactly what we needed. I think having the little break was nice.”
Ely showed off its potent hitting attack against the Wolverines, to the delight of a good-sized Senior Night audience.
Shultz led the way with 11 kills, but Kallberg was right behind with nine, followed by Violet Udovich (eight), Penke (seven) and Hegman (six).
Setter Gretta Lowe dished out 35 assist and had six digs, while Kallberg recorded seven digs and Huntington finished with five.
Ruby Lowe had a couple of ace serves as well.
Ely will be heavily favored in its first two playoff matchups but there’s some uncertainty about the semifinal round, should the Wolves advance.
Potential opponents include Cromwell or Barnum, two teams from the southern half of the section with impressive records.
Ely saw neither team during the regular season.
“I think the biggest thing posing a challenge is going in a little bit nervous maybe,” said Bialik. “But I know the girls have done some research and watched some of their game film and I think they’re a little more prepared than they think they are.”
Bialik added “we have what we need to be successful going into the playoffs. I think mentally staying strong will be important. We can be week sometime when we start to make mistakes, but shaking those off and staying strong will be the most important thing.”
