Grand Forks Red River volleyball coach Carolyn Olson says she's coaching a hungry bunch of Roughriders this fall.

The reason for the hunger? For starters, losing a five-game state semifinal match last fall.

"We were so close in that one," Olson said. "The girls who are back are using that as motivation."

The Roughriders looked like a motivated bunch over the weekend, going 7-0 at the 18-team Bismarck High-Century Invitational Tournament. Red River, which wound up placing fourth in the 2008 Class A state tournament, capped off a perfect weekend with four wins Saturday at Century High. It shut out four of its seven opponents while winning 18 of 21 games.

"We had a nice weekend. We have some work to do, but overall our first two days (of competition) went well," Olson said.

The Roughriders were led by the four regulars who returned from last year's 27-8 squad - hitters Emily Asche, Emily Evers and Jordyn Steffan, and setter Megan Stoley. Asche, Evers and Steffan finished the tournament with 48, 39 and 20 kills, respectively, and Stoley had 74 assists.

Red River also got contributions from Mandy Christian (46 assists), Annika Strand (17 kills on Saturday), and Alexa Buteman (49 digs).

"We have a solid nucleus of players back. They're not only good players, but they're strong leaders," Olson said. "We are an athletic team. We have a number of players who are capable of playing multiple positions, and that allows us to do a variety of things offensively. We have great chemistry, too. That's always important in a team sport."

One of the Roughriders' weekend victims was defending state champion Century, the team that handed them a 3-2 loss in last year's state semifinals. On Saturday, Red River downed the Patriots 25-15, 27-25, 8-15.

"The girls really wanted to win that one," Olson said. "Any time you play a team like Century, it pushes you all the more. It was a good and intense match between two good teams."

The Roughriders nearly fell out of perfection in their last match of the tournament. Red River and Dickinson split their first two contests before the Roughriders prevailed in Game 3 22-20.

The loss to Red River was the only setback Century suffered in the two-day tournament. The Patriots went 3-1 on Saturday and finished 6-1.

Century coach Jeni Walsh said she was pleased with her team's performance, especially the efforts of new setters Briana Hildebrand and Alyssa Mastel, who are taking over for 2009 graduate Hailee Walsh, a three-year starter at Century. Hildebrand totaled 87 assists in the two days. Mastel had 84.

"They both did a nice job," Walsh said. "As the weekend went on, you could see that they were playing with more and more confidence."

Carli Peterson and A.J. Jacobs had 64 and 60 kills, respectively, for the Patriots.

Fargo Shanley also finished 6-1 after going 4-0 on Saturday. Williston, West Fargo, Fargo South and Fargo North all went 5-2 overall.

Bismarck High won three of its four matches on Saturday and finished 4-3. St. Mary's and Mandan wound up 3-4 and 1-6, respectively.

Cumulative statistics

St. MARY'S - Kills: Taryn Bohan 31, Laura Doll 10, Brynn Lakosky 10. Assists: Claire Gunderson 50, Kalah Peterson 10. Digs: Bohan 54, Doll 28, Gunderson 22, Andie Taborsky 17. Aces: Peterson 10, Doll 8, Bohan 5. Blocks: Bohan 12, Lakosky 9, Alyssa Kopp 7.

WAHPETON - Kills: Katelyn Kleven 19, Kelsey Kleven 14, Cameron Schroeder 13. Assists: Jordyn Braun 40, Kaitlin McNary 12. Digs: Morgan Burrer 35, Katelyn Kleven 2, Braun 19. Aces: Michelle Mennis 5, Jocie Fisher 5, Katelyn Kleven 4. Blocks: Kelsey Kleven 9, Schroeder 3, Katelyn Kleven 3, Fisher 3

WILLISTON - Kills: Ashley Slade 35, Taylor Owen 20, Kourtney Sundby 18. Assists: Jaden Lynch 89. Digs: Lynch 24, Slade 31, Cassie Thomas 20. Aces: Owen 11, Kourtney Sundby 8, Slade 4. Blocks: Laura Maleckar 22, Slade 21, Jackie Lee 13.

JAMESTOWN - Kills: Alex Hanson 28, Niki Schmitz 22, Kara Nygaard 22. Assists: Katie Ramlo 33, Sam Wang 44. Digs: Louise Bohanny 52, Nygaard 31, Katie Nenow 23. Aces: Hanson 11, McCall Goehner 7, Ramlo 5. Blocks: Hanson 6, Schmitz 2, Shelby Eamon 2.

SHANLEY - Kills: Kaitlyn Carlson 47, Hannah Sitzmann 45, Hilary Rotunda 38, Sammi Post 38. Assists: Madalyn Laske 95, Ashley Vetter 68, Hilary Rotunda 3, Bethany Sandy 3. Digs: Sammi Post 62, Sitzmann 53, Sandy 50. Aces:, Sandy 14, Laske 10, Kaitlyn Carlson 8. Blocks: Rotunda 6, Carlson 2, Post 2.

WESTFARGO - Kills: Jenna Green 29, Ali Barta 21, Katelyn Holland 18. Assists: Jill Gustafson 49, Barta 36. Digs: Green 29, Holland 29. Aces: Barta 10, Holland 6, Gustafson 5. Blocks: Green 6, Holland 2.

BISMARCK - Kills: Twila Moser 30, Annie Assel 21, Anna Hruby 24. Assists: KaSara Rudolph 79, Erin Haugen 7. Digs: Emilee Vetter 54, Rudolph 36. Hruby 28. Kelsey Schafer 28. Aces: Moser 11, Vetter 6, Hruby 3. Blocks: Moser 6, Katie Weigel 4, Hruby 3.

MINOT - Kills: Jayd Eggert 14, Teresa Vetter 10, Morgan Milbrath 9, Alex Bolinske 8, Holly Johnson 4. Assists: Katelyn Larson 50. Digs: Erin Kongelf 28, Eggert 22, Ashley Bauer 12, Annaka Smith 9, Larson 5. Aces: Eggert 6, Kongelf 4, Larson 2, Smith 2.

MANDAN - Kills: Brittni Winkler 24, Amber Riopelle 14, Leanne Beechie 13, Elizabeth Meyer 13. Assists: Shelby Heck 32, Alicia Zook 25. Digs: Kaycee Gustafson 48, Riopelle 23. Aces: Heck 7, Zook 5.

FARGONORTH - Kills: Angie Waller 46, Maren McGurran 19, Keli Johnson 15, Mia Lopez 15, Jordan Daly 15. Blocks: Waller 11, Johnson 10, McGurran 7. Assists: Kristin Cochran 66, Johnson 14, Lopez 7. Digs: Daly 26, Hope Marty 21, Waller 19. Aces: Kristina Rindy 7, Waller 6, Marty 4.

FARGOSOUTH - Kills: Siri Burck 28, Laurel Striegel 19, Abby Carlson 13, Kara Simonson 13. Assists: Haley Boisjolie 54, Jill Bethke 29. Digs: Alley Fisher 17, Boisjolie 15. Aces: Striegel 6, Meghan Roehrich 5, Boisjolie 5.

CENTURY - Kills: Carli Peterson 37, A.J. Jacobs 32, Markie Henry 22. Assists: Alyssa Mastel 50, Briana Hildebrand 45. Digs: Erika Jossart 48, Jacobs 38, Peterson 26, Alicia Baumiller 17. Aces: Henry 11, Jossart 9.

GRANDFORKS REDRIVER - Kills: Emily Asche 28, Emily Evers 25, Annika Strand 17, Jordyn Steffan 10. Assists: Megan Stoley 45, Mandy Christian 27. Digs: Alexa Buteman 37. Aces: Asche 11, Stoley 11.

DEVILS LAKE - Kills: Ashley Sebelius 10, Kenzie Wade 9, Steph Mertens 9. Assists: Kasi Eisenzimmer 44. Digs: Autumn Wang 8, Mertens 7, Wade 6. Aces: Ashli Wahlen 7, Mertens 7, Sebelius 4.

GRANDFORKSCENTRAL - Kills: Michaela Johnson 15, Katie Marynik 11, Melissa Ege 6, Kaylyn Selle 6. Assists: Ege 17. Digs: Shannon Burgard 16, Selle 12, Courtney Hammer 10, Brittany Norton 9. Aces: Norton 8, Ege 6, Burgard 3.

DICKINSON - Kills: Jess Herauf 45, Madison Deibert 18, Ashley Jahner 15, Katie Hewson 12. Assists: Kara Froelich 76. Digs: Justine Braunagel 73, Deibert 34, Herauf 33, Kinzie Kinzel 27. Aces: Jahner 4, Braunagel 4, Froelich 3, Hewson 3.

TURTLE MOUNTAIN - Kills: Julia Davis 21, Jezarae LaRocque 20. Ashley Kom 41. Digs: Kom 53, Davis 34. Aces: LaRocque 6, Alyssa Parisien 5.

Saturday's results

At Bismarck High

Jamestown def. Wahpeton 25-10, 25-19, 7-15

Williston def. Fargo North JV 25-9, 25-16, 15-7

Bismarck def. Fargo North 25-22, 22-25, 15-12

Williston def. West Fargo 24-26, 25-18, 15-13

St. Mary's def. Wahpeton 26-24, 25-21, 15-10

West Fargo def. Bismarck 25-21, 25-21, 15-13

Fargo North def. Jamestown 25-14, 25-20, 20-18

St. Mary's def Fargo North JV 25-17, 25-18, 13-15

Williston def. Wahpeton 25-23, 29-27, 13-15

Fargo Shanley def. St. Mary's 19-25, 25-20, 15-12

Jamestown def. Fargo North JV 20-25, 25-23, 15-6

Bismarck def. Wahpeton 25-17, 25-16, 15-8

Fargo Shanley def. Williston 25-13, 25-21, 10-15

West Fargo def. Jamestown 25-21, 25-10, 15-11

Bismarck def. Fargo North JV 25-14, 25-18, 18-16

West Fargo def. St. Mary's 20-25, 25-19, 15-13

At Century

Fargo South def. Minot 25-11, 25-8, 15-8

Devils Lake def. Minot 25-19, 25-22, 8-15

Fargo Shanley def. Mandan 23-25, 25-21, 15-8

Fargo South def. Mandan 25-12, 27-25, 15-10

Fargo North def. Mandan 21-25, 25-12, 15-3

Mandan def. Grand Forks Central 25-15, 25-13, 15-9

Century def. Fargo South 25-14, 25-22, 15-7

Dickinson def. Fargo South 25-22, 25-19, 12-15

Grand Forks Red River def. Century 25-15, 27-25, 7-15

Century def. Grand Forks Central 25-7, 25-10, 25-5

Century def. Fargo South 25-14, 25-22, 15-7

Century def. Devils Lake 25-15, 25-16, 9-15

Bismarck def. Fargo North 25-22, 25-22, 15-12

Fargo North def. Jamestown 25-14, 25-20, 20-18

Fargo North def. Minot 25-22, 25-12, 15-4

Fargo North def. Mandan 21-25, 25-12, 15-3

Grand Forks Red River def. Dickinson 23-25, 25-16, 22-20

Grand Forks Red River def. Minot 25-18, 26-24, 15-9

Grand Forks Red River def. Belcourt 25-17, 25-20, 15-7

Dickinson def. Devils Lake 21-25, 25-22, 15-12

Devils Lake def. Belcourt 25-10, 25-22, 15-10

Grand Forks Central def. Belcourt 25-12, 16-25, 15-11

Dickinson def. Grand Forks Central 25-12, 25-14, 15-7

Fargo Shanley def. Belcourt 25-17, 25-12, 15-8

Records

Grand Forks Red River 4-0 (7-0 overall), Century 3-1 (6-1), Fargo Shanley 4-0 (6-1), Williston 3-1 (5-2), West Fargo 3-1 (5-2), Fargo South 2-2 (5-2), Fargo North 3-1 (5-2), Bismarck 3-1 (4-3), Jamestown 2-2 (3-4), St. Mary's 2-2 (3-4), Wahpeton 0-4 (3-4), Dickinson 3-1 (3-4), Fargo North JV 0-4 (2-5), Devils Lake 2-2 (2-5), Grand Forks Central 1-3 (2-5), Mandan 1-3 (1-6), Minot 0-4 (1-6), Belcourt 0-4 (0-7).