A 3-0 win over host Sibley East on Tuesday closed out the regular season for the Clipper varsity girls.
The Clippers host 15th-seeded Springfield on Monday (October 20). The winner of that game plays the winner of seventh-ranked New Ulm Cathedral vs 10-ranked Madelia. Cedar Mountain is ranked third and in the Clipper side of the bracket while Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s is the fourth seed and in number one BLHS’s side.
The Clippers hit the first point out of bounds. Taylor McCabe’s kill put them in front 3-1. After Sibley East scored on a kill, libero Delany Thompson sent over a kill, that, with Jocelyn Kortuem serving the rest of the way, was the start of a 17-point marathon that featured a pair each of McCabe ace blocks and kills and a pair of Liviana Lee kills.
With the Clippers in front 22-4, Melia Sathoff and Keira Schipper smashed kills before the game ended 25-5 on a Sathoff kill.
Sibley East regrouped for game two and led 11-7, but with a Sathoff ace tip and serve, and a hat trick of McCabe kills, all in a row, the Clipper went on a 5-point spurt and never trailed from there. It ended 25-19 on back-to-back Sathoff kills.
Game three was a chance for some younger players. Natalie Flowers’s kill put the Clippers in front 6-4. Later, Sierra Lotspeich and Ava Kluntz recorded kills. The frame ended 25-15 when the Wolverines tipped the ball into the net.
Sathoff fired off 12 kills, scooped seven digs and sent over one ace serve. McCabe launched a dozen kills, stretched for one solo ace block and one ace block assist and scooped three digs. Thompson had two kills, 21 digs, one ace serve and one set assist. Kortuem set up 39 points and hit two kills of her own. She also scooped four digs.
As a freshman last year, Kortuem (above) got in a little varsity time, enough to record 11 assists. As a starter this year, setting all the way around, she was thrust into a huge role, making high passes to the Clippers’ strong hitters outside while occasionally tossing in quick sets to the middle and passes to the back row. Keeping the defense on its heels, she also pushes over a fake set or two, and, when the situation calls for it, uncoils hits of her own.
“I feel we have grown together as a team, and it helps a lot,” said Kortuem, who measures in at 5-10. “I like seeing my teammates get kills; that makes me happy.”
Mailie Meissner posted one block by herself and paired up for three more blocks. Keria Schipper had two kills, one ace block assist and three digs. Lee had five kills and two assisted blocks. Sierra Lotspeich had six kills and one dig. Kluntz and Flowers each had one kill and one block assist. Anna Lamont had one set assist. Amelia Chmiel had six digs. Taylor Wolf had two digs. Valentina Rohlfing had one dig.
The match-opening serve on Monday is at 7:00 p.m.
Liviana Lee and Maile Meissner spring for a block.
Kaitlyn Flowers bumps the ball forward.
Amelia Chmiel props up a Sibley East serve.
The Clippers celebrate an Ava Kluntz kill.