Downing New Ulm Cathedral 2-0 on Thursday, the host C girls started their season on a high note.
Cathedral jumped out to a 5-0 start in game one. The Clippers rallied for the next five points, but Cathedral responded with a pair of ace serves, a kill and an ace tip to post the next six points.
Pushing the ball into a vacant spot on the NUC side of the floor, Kaelyn Blaschko broke up the rally. She followed with a kill, and the Clippers were within four, 11-7.
With a kill and an ace serve, the Greyhounds scored the next two points, but starting with a MacKenzie Kortuem kill, the Clippers won nine of the next 10 points before they sent three hits into the net that put Cathedral in front 17-16.
Amelia Baker shoved over a winner to deadlock the game at 17, and it was almost all Clippers from there with a Jessilyn Milnes ace tip, a Baker ace serve and a Joanna Jordan ace tip. The game ended 25-18 when Emma Kortuem sent over a winner.
The leader of game two see-sawed until Emma Kortuem’s ace tip started an eight-point Clipper spurt, which also featured a Brooke Bosse ace serve and kills by the Kortuems and Baker.
Trailing 19-12, the Greyhounds came up with three winners in a four-point spurt to pull within three, but the Clippers never gave up a point after and won 25-16.
Coached by Madisyn (Loken) Schrom, the C Clippers return to action today (Tuesday), when they travel to Janesville for a 4:30 match.
Above: Emma Kortuem joins her hands for a bump at the net.
