With the Clipper C girls falling to host Nicollet in the first game but victorious in the second, it looked like their Tuesday comeback was all but complete when they were up 13-2 in the race to 15.
But on a hot streak and with all the momentum, the Raiders, on a pair of five-point runs, scored 10 of the next 11 points. With the Clippers pounding the ball but the Raider defense keeping it afloat, the next point, match point for the Clippers, was harshly contested.
But the Clippers won the game 15-12 and match when Emma Kortuem’s deep hit caromed off the hands of back row defender Jazmyn Goettlicher.
The back story is that Goettlicher, a talented three-sport athlete for the Raiders and whose parents are both CHS grads, is Kortuem’s cousin. Both are freshmen.
“It’s always fun playing against her,” said Kortuem, “and even more fun beating her. We are all very competitive.”
Down the stretch in game one, Hadley Thompson swung for a kill, and Brooke Bosse served an ace, but when the Clippers sent a hit into the net, the Raiders won the first game 25-15.
Kaelyn Blaschko’s ace tip was the first Clipper point in game two. Later, Joanna Jordan sent a hit deep into Nicollet territory for a winner, but the Clippers still trailed 5-3.
Thompson guided over a winner, and Kortuem dished up an ace serve that, with Nicollet error in the mix, put the Clippers in front 6-5, but the Raiders rallied for the next six points before Bosse broke up the streak with a kill.
With the Clippers still trailing 12-7, Kenzie Kortuem powered down a winner, and Jordan forwarded back-to-back ace serves. After Jessilyn Milnes hit from the back row for a point, the Clippers finally caught up when the Raiders shanked a Blaschko serve.
The lead swung back and forth from there with most points on errors, but Kenzie Kortuem’s hit put the Clippers ahead 20-19. The Raiders won the next point on a kill but errored three times for a 23-20 Clipper advantage.
The Clippers errored twice from there, the first a serve into the fence and the second a failure to assemble a return. Nicollet followed with a kill to stalemate the game 23-23 but errored on the next point before the Clippers won 25-23 when a Raider bump near the net cruised out of bounds.
A Kenzie Kortuem kill was the first point of the short set and, with some nice Jordan saves keeping the ball up, was the start of an eight-point Clipper run. After the Raiders managed a couple of points, the Clippers scored the next four, all winners and including a Kenzie Kortuem direct over, a Bosse push deep into an open slot and a couple of Amelia Baker ace serves for a 13-2 orange & black advantage. But the Clippers melted down from there before Emma Kortuem’s match winner.
Back at home against Madelia two days later, the Clippers rolled to a 3-0 sweep.
Down the stretch in game one, Thompson and Emma Kortuem looped over an ace serve and Jordan and Kenzie Kortuem swung for kills before the game ended 25-15 on a Baker spike.
Game two started on a Bosse kill and ended 25-11 on a Kenzie Kortuem kill.
Starting where she left off, Kenzie Kortuem uncoiled a kill to start a just-for-practice game three. It ended 15-5 on a Baker ace tip.
The C girls return to action on Thursday when they road trip to Trimont to take on Martin County West.
Above: Emma Kortuem swings for a hit at Nicollet.
Amelia Baker two hands an over on the Raider court.
Brooke Bosse steers the ball forward at Nicollet.
Maliah Elias props up a Nicollet serve.
Kaelyn Blaschko on the save at Nicollet.
Hadley Thompson bumps a pass during the Nicollet match.
Jessilyn Milnes tips the ball over the fence during the Nicollet match.
Emma Kortuem bumps the ball forward during the Madelia match.
Brook Bosse tangles at the net during the Madelia match.
Kenzie Kortuem unleashes a hit against Madelia.