KENMARE - There are few days during the volleyball season when Macie Harris is completely healthy.

The 5-foot-5 senior usually has some form of bruise or bump or sore spot when she takes the court for defending Region 6 champion Kenmare.

As libero, Harris' job is to keep the ball from hitting the floor using any means possible. She takes her job more seriously than most, oftentimes sacrificing her body to dive after balls others would not.

"You just put your body on the line for the team," Harris said. "Some of the hits I take I don't think I'm going to get up, but it doesn't stop me. I am always diving after the ball. I get it into my head that I need to go after it as hard as I can because I know if we make the point, we are that much closer to winning the game."

Harris' willingness to go after every ball has come with a price.

Earlier this season, Harris ran head first into a gymnasium wall after saving a ball during the championship match of the Glenburn Tournament. She left the match with a mild concussion and a badly bruised hip, but was back in action after missing a practice and the team's next match.

"People don't think volleyball is a contact sport, but her body is covered in black-and-blue spots and sore spots," Kenmare head coach Tim Wallstrum said. "She has the temperament that she will not be beat. She is going to chase a ball down no matter what or where it is. And the harder you hit it at her, the more she likes it. She is just that kind of gal."

Harris' most unbelievable defensive save came in last year's Class B state volleyball tournament.

Playing Thompson in the first round, Harris dived to save a ball out of bounds and, upon coming out of her roll, knocked down the curtain separating the two courts. Kenmare set and spiked the ball Harris had saved, but play was stopped because of the downed curtain.

"I still think that is one of the most amazing things I've ever seen," Wallstrum said.

Harris' tenacious defense has been a necessity for Kenmare, which lacks a big double block after the graduation of all-state middles Keri Nelson and Steph Barnhart. The absence of the block means Kenmare's back row has a lot more floor to protect.

"It is not as easy playing defense this year," Harris said.

Harris leads the back row with 289 digs and a successful serve-reception rate of 96 percent. Part time hitter/back row player senior Dayna Froseth has 233 digs, while seniors Chelsey Zietz and Meghan Essler have 81 and 75 digs, respectively, from the back row.

"(Those girls) are crucial. They make our team run," Wallstrum said. "They cover so much area and even if one gets it up, we have so much speed to run the ball down no matter where it is on the floor. They know if they can just get to the ball and get it up, somebody else will get to it. They trust in each other's speed that way."

While the back row defense is Kenmare's strength, the Honkers also have a potent offense led by 5-11 junior Katie King. King has 406 kills and 59 stuff blocks, while Froseth has 223 kills for the Honkers, who enter today's Region 6 Tournament as the No. 1 seed out of District 12.

Play begins at 3 p.m. at the Minot Municipal Auditorium with District 11 No. 1 Velva vs. District 12 No. 4 Glenburn. Following is District 12 No. 2 Our Redeemer's vs. District 11 No. 3 Westhope-Newburg, Kenmare vs. District 11 No. 4 Rugby and District 11 No. 2 Bottineau vs. District 12 No. 3 Lewis & Clark.

Balance powers Harvey

Brenda Lang considers herself lucky.

The Harvey volleyball coach has five girls that can be counted on to produce points on a given night, something that could not have been said about her teams in the past.

"It is a coach's dream. I've coached for many years and have had maybe one or two hitters. But to have five out of the main six that can put the ball away for us is an absolute luxury. I am in heaven on that part of it," she said.

Sheyenne Schneider leads the Hornets in kills with 379, while Maggie Lorenz has 226 kills and Rachel Nyhus 203 kills. Amy Buxa has 159 kills and Elizabeth Schmeets 86 more for Harvey, which enters today's Region 4 Tournament with a 34-0 record.

Harvey, the top seed from District 7, plays District 8 No. 4 St. John at 3 p.m. in Devils Lake.

"We have to play the game that we've played all year," Lang said. "There is an old saying that you dance with the partner that brought you, and that is what we are going to do. We are going to go with the girls that have got us this far."

District 8 No. 2 Rolla-Rock Lake plays District 7 No. 3 New Rockford-Sheyenne after Harvey's match, followed by District 8 No. 1 Langdon vs. District 7 No. 4 Midkota and District 7 No. 2 Carrington vs. District 8 No. 3 North Star.

Trojans enter as Region 5 favorite

Turtle Lake-Mercer has been in this position before. Five times to be exact.

Now, the Trojans want to take it one step further and reach the state tournament for the first time since 2004.

"I hope the girls realize that they're the team to beat this year," TL-M head coach Jody Granlie said. "Confidence is a big thing. If we dont' have it we are going to beat ourselves."

Turtle Lake-Mercer (16-0) enters the Region 5 volleyball tournament on the heels of a district championship for the fifth consecutive season. The No. 1 seed out of District 10 will play Standing Rock, the No. 4 seed from District 9, in the final match of the first round today at Center-Stanton.

The Trojans beat Standing Rock 3-1 earlier in the season.

(District 9) has been pretty even," Granlie said. "We have played everyone except Flasher and won all those matches, but on any given night it can be a different story. We aren't taking (Standing Rock) lightly."

Jordyn Sondrol leads the Trojans with 18 kills per match, while Jenna Bayless is averaging 13 kills a match and setter Rachel Hanson 26 assists per match.

Play begins with District 9 No. 1 Flasher vs. District 10 No. 4 Sheridan County at 3 p.m., followed by District 10 No. 2 Wilton-Wing vs. District 9 No. 3 New Salem and District 9 No. 2 Center-Stanton vs. District 10 No. 3 Underwood.