Ryan Ladika/MDN The Des Lacs-Burlington Lakers pose after winning their first Region 6 championship since 2001 with their 3-1 win over Bishop Ryan Nov. 11.

This past Saturday, the Des Lacs-Burlington Lakers ended their season with an appearance at the Class B State Tournament. DLB concluded the tournament with a record of 0-3 and an eighth-place finish. It was the school’s first state appearance in 20 years.

The Minot Daily News reached out to DLB’s first-year head coach Erica Moen to get her perspective on the team’s overall performance and what she expects from the club in 2022. Here is what Moen had to say.

MDN: Describe what the atmosphere was like in Bismarck.

Moen: The atmosphere in Bismarck was totally different than anything we have played in before. The event center was bigger, there were lights and screens everywhere, and it was a big crowd that we played in front of. It was a cool experience to have.

MDN: What did you learn about your team as it competed against the best teams in Class B?

Moen: I learned that it’s a whole new level of play when you are at the state tournament. We had some good moments where we were playing right there with the best teams in the state.

MDN: What was the biggest highlight for you during the tournament?

Moen: The biggest highlight was our close first set against Garrison where the ending score was 29-31. Our game against Garrison on the final day of the tournament was the best volleyball we played all weekend.

MDN: In what areas do you think the team could have performed better?

Moen: The team could have performed better with serve receive and passing. That is where we mainly struggled, and it was hard to find our groove in the game.

MDN: Not winning a game is disappointing, but what positives can you take from the experience?

Moen: The positive that I took from the state tournament is that the girls got to experience what the state tournament is all about. Because it had been 20 years, none of the girls knew what to expect going into it. Another positive would be that the girls got more game experience against good competition.

MDN: How many seniors will be graduating from this year’s club, and what is the outlook for next year’s varsity team?

Moen: The team will lose two seniors this year, they are Emily DeGree and Krysta Berard. They have been a huge part of this year’s success and will be missed next year. Next year’s team will bring back girls who have gotten experience in different positions and we will need players to step up and fill those spots.