It was business as usual for the varsity girls last week as they downed both Sibley East and St. Clair in three games.
But on Friday and Saturday, the Clippers, won three out of five matches during a tournament held at the Midwest Volleyball Warehouse in Burnsville
With game one in Arlington on Tuesday tied 5-5, the Clippers worked the left and right side with Laci Hollerich and Ava Hahn alternating attacks for a four-point spurt, and the Clippers never lost the lead from there. Following a Hollerich ace block, the game ended 25-17 on a Wolverine hit out of bounds.
Suckering Sibley East inside with a head fake, Melia Sathoff guided a hit down the line for the first Clipper winner in game two. With kills by Hollerich and Hahn, the Clippers tied the game 5-5.
The Wolverines hung around though until the Clippers went on a six-point run that started with a Sathoff kill, ended with a Sathoff ace tip and included ace blocks from Hahn and Maya Lassiter and a fake set by Greta Hahn for a winner.
Hitting from the front and back, Ava Hahn (above) poured it on down the stretch, and the Clippers won 25-16 when the Wolverines socked the ball into the net.
Lassiter’s ace tip was the first Clipper point in game three. Ava Hahn followed up with a kill, but the Clippers were still down 4-2. But Jocelyn Bartell put up an ace block, and Ava Hahn swatted down winners from the back row and the front row too, and after a Sibley East hit out of bounds, it was all even at nine.
Hahn said it is harder to hit from the back row, and the technique is different than hitting up front. She uses a “high hand,” where she has to reach up higher.
“It’s definitely harder to hit from the back row because I am not used to it. I just started last year. I’m still not consistent with it, but it is getting better.”
But having her sister set it up helps, she said.
“I play with her a lot, so I can read her.”
From there, Lacey McCabe’s ace block put the Clippers in front 14-12. Lilly Lamont sent over an ace serve, and with a hard kill and then a roll from Ava Hahn, the Clippers led 19-14.
The Wolverines wouldn’t go away though, but with a Sathoff attack, the Clippers led 21-18. Savannah Meyer served an ace, Sathoff executed another head-fake kill, and the game ended 25-18 when the Wolverines were caught on four hits.
Ava Hahn unleashed 19 kills and scrapped 14 digs. Sathoff had seven kills and five digs. Hollerich had eight kills. Greta Hahn passed for 31 assists and was nine for nine in serving with a pair of aces. Meyer hoisted a dozen digs and was 17 for 17 from the service line with three aces. Lamont was 11 for 11 in serving with two aces.
In the middle with ace blocks were Bartell with two and Lassiter with three. On the outside, Hollerich put down two while Sathoff and Ava Hahn each posted one.
In St. Clair on Thursday, the Clippers won 25-16, 25-15 and 25-14.
Ava Hahn had 20 Kills, 13 digs and two ace blocks. Meyer had 16 digs, three set assists, and was 14 for 17 from the service line with one ace. Sathoff had six kills, eight digs, one solo ace block and was 12 for 13 in serving. Hollerich had five kills, three digs, one ace block and was four for four in serving with one ace. Anika Sathoff had six kills and one dig.
Greta Hahn had 36 set assists, three kills, 11 digs, one solo ace block, and was 12 for 14 serving with a trio of aces.
Delaney Thompson had five digs and was eight for eight serving with two aces. Chloe Anderson and Mariah McCabe each had six digs. Sophie Perkins had two kills, one dig and was seven for eight in serving. Lamont had three digs and was four for four in serving. Bartell had two kills. Lassiter had one ace block. Addi Holden had one kill.
In pool play on Friday, the Clippers beat New Life Academy 25-22, 25-18 but lost a close match to MACCRAY, 25-23, 23-25, 12-15. With a 13-0 record coming into the tournament, it was their first loss of the season.
Still in pool play on Saturday morning, the Clippers fought hard against state second-ranked Mabel-Caton but fell 25-22, 25-19.
In bracket play on Saturday, the Clippers downed Heron Lake-Okabena 21-25, 25-21, 15-12 and then beat Spring Grove 28-26, 25-17.
The Clippers had leads in the two matches they lost.
“Overall we played hard and competed well with every team we played,” said head coach Dave Nixon. “We just didn't finish well enough to win against MACCRAY and Mabel-Canton. The competition was great both days. We had to play well to win, and it was a good test to see where we stand against the top teams in the state.”
Four the tournament, Ava Hahn totaled 38 kills, 46 digs, one solo block, four assisted blocks and was 40 for 43 in serving with seven aces. Meyer scooped 78 digs, set five assists and landed 31 of 34 serves with four of them aces. Melia Sathoff had 44 kills, 16 digs, one solo block and one block assist and was perfect in her 52 serves with six of them aces. Hollerich hit for 13 kills and also had 15 digs, two set assists, three solo blocks and four block assists. She was one for two serving.
Greta Hahn boosted 97 set assists and had 22 digs, five kills and was 53 of 55 serving with five aces. 5 Kills, 97 Set Assists, 5 ace serves, 53/55 serving, 22 digs.
Perkins had 11 kills, 11 digs, two solo blocks, five block assists and was 29 for 30 serving with two aces. Bartell had six kills, four digs, two solo blocks and two assisted blocks.
Anderson had 25 digs. Thompson had 29 digs and was perfect in her 40 serves with a pair aces. Anika Sathoff had two kills, one dig, a pair of block assists and was three for three in serving. Mariah McCabe was one for two serves. Lamont had one dig and was three for four serving with one ace.
The Clippers host Martin County West tonight.
Chloe Anderson on the dig against Sibley East.
Laci Hollerich bumps at the net in Arlington.
Melia Sathoff swings through a kill as an Sibley East defender stretches for a block.
Greta Hahn bumps a set at St. Clair.
Savannah Meyer lifts up a Cyclone serve.