Continuing to roll, the loaded-with talent C girls downed Mankato Loyola on Tuesday, defeated Alden-Conger days later and topped Sleepy Eye on Tuesday of this week.
All games were at Cleveland.
In game one vs. Loyola, the Clippers, up 10-3, scored the next four points, three of them on Brooke Bosse ace serves. From there, Jessilyn Milnes dispatched an ace serve, Kenzie Kortuem spiked a winner, and Kaelyn Blaschko served back-to-back aces. The game ended 25-6 on a Kortuem ace serve.
Hadley Thompson’s kill was the first winner for the Clippers in game two and was the start of a four-point spurt. Amelia Baker served an ace, Milnes swung for a kill, and with another Thompson kill, the Clippers led 5-2.
Upping their game, the Crusaders hung around to pull within two, 10-7, before they sent a hit in to the net. After the Clipper serve, Maliah Elias’s direct return found and open slot, and the Clippers led 12-8.
A few points later, Baker airmailed three-straight ace serves in what would be a 10-point Clipper run, which also featured a Joanna Jordan kill, a Baker kill and a Kendra Schipper kill. With a Crusader hit out of bounds, the Clippers led 22-10.
After a Crusader kill, Thompson bashed a pair of winners before the game ended 25-11 on a Milnes ace serve.
The Clippers really got their serve on in a for-practice game three, which timed out at 17-15 on an Elias ace serve.
In game one against Alden-Conger, the Clippers led 12-6 when the Knights took advantage of an ace serve and a pair of Clipper errors to pull within three. But the net helped send a Bosse hit to the floor, and with a Thomson ace serve, the Clippers scored the next three points. A Blaschko kill capped off another three-point spurt that put them in front 18-10.
The Clippers sent a pair of hits out of bounds from there, but only gave up another point the rest of the way. Winners were an Emma Kortuem kill and two Bosse Ace serves. The game ended 25-17 on a Knight miss-serve.
The Knights posted the first two points of game two, but with a Baker kill and a pair of Thompson ace serves, the Clippers went in front 5-2 and never lost the lead from there.
Later, Kenzie Kortuem served three-straight aces for a 16-5 Clipper advantage. With the Clippers leading 21-15, the Knights capitalized on Clipper errors and an ace serve to pull within two, 21-19. But after a Kenzie Kortuem kill put the Clippers in front 23-20, the Knights errored twice for a 25-20 Clipper triumph.
A game three was for practice.
A Kenzie Kortuem kill was the first point in game one against Sleepy Eye. Later, mixing it up at the net, Baker scored three-straight points to put the Clippers up 15-4. With a Thompson kill, the Clippers were comfortably in front 21-7.
Strong on offense from there, the Indians won seven of the next 10 points, but the game ended 25-14 when the Sleepy Eye didn’t assemble a return.
With a Bosse kill and a pair of Milnes ace serves, the Clippers led game two 4-2. After a Kaelyn Blaschko ace serve, the Indians pulled within a point, 9-8. But taking advantage of errors and a pair of Bosse kills, the Clippers led 14-9.
Later, up 19-14, the Clippers went on a six-point run that included a pair of Thompson ace serves, an Emma Kortuem kill and kills by Thompson and Kenzie Kortuem. Fighting hard to stay alive, the Indians scored the next three points, but the game ended 24-17 on a Milnes kill.
In a for-practice game three, the Indians trailed 13-6 after a Baker ace serve but rallied their offense from there, didn’t lose another point and won 15-13.
The C girls will look to continue their winning ways when they host Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s tonight (Thursday).
Above: Kendra Schipper follows through on a hit during the match against Alden-Conger
Libero Maliah Elias hoists a Loyola serve.
Brooke Bosse watches her tip drop down to a Loyola defender.
Joanna Jordan bumps the ball at the net during the Loyola match.
Kenzie Kortuem pounds a hit during the match against Alden-Conger.
Emma Kortuem stretches for a block during the match against Sleepy Eye.
Jessilyn Milnes passes over to an awaiting Hadley Thompson during the match against Sleepy Eye.