While last season, the varsity Clipper girls won about everything expected of them and beyond, including a tournament championship at Goodhue, a Valley-Conference championship, a Tomahawk-Valley Conference championship and a section championship, the Waterville tournament slipped through their fingers when they were upset by Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial—a team they had easily topped three days prior—in the medal match.
But on Saturday, the Clippers avenged last year’s loss as they beat LCWM in the semifinal before going on to topple WEM in the final to win the tournament for the first time since 2023.
“In the tournament last year, we played really well until we got the championship,” said head coach Dave Nixon. “Then we had some troubles that we didn’t overcome. So to come back and beat a team that beat us last year and then beat Waterville is a good feeling.”
Keira Schipper’s kill was the first point in the match against the Buccaneers. Taylor McCabe followed with a kill. Later, Maile Meissner stretched for ace block, and with errors and another Chipper kill, they led 5-1 before hitting out of bounds.
The Clippers kept the pressure on though, and the game ended 25-17 on a McCabe kill.
But WEM didn’t roll over and started game two with a kill. A McCabe kill was the first winner for the Clippers. Later, after a Jocelyn Kortuem ace block and a Liviana Lee kill, the Clippers led 5-4.
The score pendulumed from there. With the Bucs hitting for back-to-back winners, they went in front 18-15.
“They’re always tough to play,” Nixon said. “They’re going to compete. They don’t let you score easily; they’re scrappy defenders. They serve tough. They always have some girls who serve a little different. It’s almost like a tennis serve. They just know how to play; they’re smart. They’re well coached, and it’s their home tournament, so they’re not going to go away without a fight.”
But, starting with a Jocelynn Kortuem back-row kill that was followed by an Aubrey Blaschko ace block, the Clippers never lost another point. After a Melia Sathoff onslaught for five points, the Clippers won 25-18.
In pool play, the Clippers beat NOVA 25-14, 25-13, Heron Lake-Okabena 25-12, 25-10 and Lewiston-Altura, 25-19, 25-23.
In the second game against Lewiston-Altura, the Clippers were down seven points early and five points late, so they had rally to pull out the win.
“They played really well against us,” Nixon said. “They have some young players who really got after it. I’m glad we played them when we did, because they forced us to really compete.”
In bracket play, the Clippers beat LCWM 25-14, 25-15. Clipper point 22 of game two was Sathoff’s 1000th kill. Kaitlyn Flowers set it up.
With 45 kills on the day, Sathoff led the Clipper attack. She also hoisted 26 digs, stretched for a trio of block assists, set up six points for other hitters and served a dozen aces, enough to tie Ava Hahn’s school career record of 211.
With 43 kills, 20 digs, a pair of set assists, one block assist and one ace serve, McCabe loomed large as well. Libero Delaney Thompson scraped 75 digs, propped up 10 set assists and airmailed five ace serves. Kortuem set up 99 points and swung for 10 kills. She also had 26 digs, one block assist and three ace serves. Sierra Lotspeich had one kill. Kenzie Kortuem had four kills, one dig and two block assists.
Keira Schipper had seven kills as well as one set assist, three digs and two ace block assists. Lee had four kills and five block assists. Aubrey Blaschko had 11 kills, one set assist, three digs and three block assists. Meissner had five kills, one set assist, one dig and one block assist.
Luci Blaschko totaled 22 digs, two set assists and two ace serves. Flowers had four set assists and five digs. Amelia Chmiel had to ace serves. Anna Lamont had one ace serve.
“It was a team effort all day,” Nixon said. “We rotated some middles through, and they all were competing. Aubrey had a good day on the right side. Jocelyn set well, and Taylor and Melia bring a lot of offensive firepower from the outside, We’re able to get production from our other hitters, and so other teams just can’t key on Taylor and Melia. Delaney and Luci passed really well.”
The 2023 win was the only other time the Clippers won the tournament since they first entered it back in 2011.
Cleveland 3, Nicollet 0
Game one against visiting Nicollet on Thursday started with a McCabe kill. The Raiders hung tight though. Trailing 8-6, they took advantage of four Clipper hitting errors and a kill to rally for five points and an 11-8 lead before stepping on the midline.
With kills by Lotspeich and Aubrey Blaschko, the Clippers tied the game at 11. Later, the Raiders hit a couple of kills to go ahead 14-12, and the lead continued to swing back and forth.
Aubrey Blaschko’s ace block put the Clippers in front 22-21, but their next serve was out of bounds and with a Clipper hit into the net and an ace block, the Raiders found themselves at game point, 24-22.
McCabe took responsibility for the Clippers' early woes.
“Nicollet surprised us; they were better than we expected. They really brought a good block, and we all started really weak. We were all in our own heads, and me personally too. But everyone was really encouraging, which really helped. I got down, and my team picked me up, and it was all good.”
Sathoff pounded a pair of kills to stalemate the game at 24. Nicollet hit a kill, errored and hit another kill for two more game points, but Sathoff sent down a winner, the Raiders hit into the net, and Jocelyn Kortuem pushed the ball into an open spot of Nicollet floor for the 28-26 win.
Behind 8-6 in game two, the Raiders scored five of the next six points, the last two on ace serves to lead 11-9, but it was all Clippers the rest of the way, and the game ended 26-13 on a Thompson ace serve.
Although the Raiders never threw in the towel, the Clippers never trailed in game three and won 25-17 on a Kenzie Kortuem kill.
Sathoff had 10 kills, seven digs, two ace block assists and three ace serves. McCabe had 14 kills, five digs, one solo ace block, one ace block assist and one set assist. Jocelyn Kortuem had 27 set assists, 11 digs, one solo ace block, four ace block assists and five kills. Schipper had two kills and seven ace block assists. Aubrey Blaschko had one kill, one solo ace block, four ace block assists and one ace serve. Meissner had one kill and one ace block assist. Lee had one kill and one dig. Kenzie Kortuem had one kill and two ace block assists. Lotspeich had one kill and one set assist. Flowers had six digs and three set assists. Thompson had 25 digs, one set assist and one ace serve. Luci Blaschko had five digs. Chmiel had three digs.
The Clippers took on Mayer Lutheran on Tuesday and, in their best effort against the perennial powerhouse, lost 3-2 (see separate story).
Above: The 2026 WEM tournament champions, from L-R, front row: Assistant coach Maddie Keischutt, Katelyn Flowers, Sierra Lotspeich, Amelia Chmiel, Luci Blaschko, Delaney Thompson, Anna Lamont, Liviana Lee, Cheyenne Lotspeich and assistant coach April Thompson. Back row: Head coach Dave Nixon, Aubrey Blaschko, Taylor McCabe, Keira Schipper, Jocelyn Kortuem, Melia Sathoff, Maile Meissner. Ava Kluntz, Kenzie Kortuem, manager Neenah Lassiter and manager Sajen Grandaw.
Melia Sathoff watches a hit clear the net during the LCWM game at the WEM tournament.
Melia Sathoff achieved 1000 kills during the game against LCWM. She joins the likes of Ava Hahn (CHS 2024), McKenna Robb (CHS 2020) and Taylor Holicky (CHS 2014). Emily Kern would have likely also been member but was limited to 885 due to the shortened 2020 season. With her after the win are, from L-R, front row: Amelia Chmiel, Keira Schipper, Sierra Lotspeich, Delaney Thompson, Melia Sathoff, Jocelyn Kortuem and Taylor McCabe. Row two: Ava Kluntz, Kenzie Kortuem, Katelyn Flowers, Luci Blaschko, Maile Meissner, Aubrey Blaschko, Liviana Lee and assistant coach April Thompson. Back row: Assistant coach Maddie Keischutt, head coach Dave Nixon, Anna Lamont, Cheyenne Lotspeich, manager Sajen Grandaw and manager Neenah Lassiter.
Taylor McCabe follows through on a hit during the LCWM game at the WEM tournament.
Liviana Lee and Sierra Lotspeich extend to block a WEM hit.
Delaney Thompson subjects her championship medal to the traditional chomp.
Maile Meissner and Taylor McCabe stretch to block a Nicollet hit.
Delaney Thompson bumps a Nicollet serve. Beside her is Melia Sathoff.
Maile Meissner sends over a hit as a Nicollet defender attempts to deflect it.
The match against Nicollet was volleyball youth night.
Elementary volleyball girls make a tunnel for the varsity girls.
Elementary volleyball girls shag serves during the Clippers warmup before the match against Nicollet.
The student section was ready for construction and demolition during the Nicollet match.
Zayden Linder was the fan of the game at the Nicollet Match.
The pep band performed before the Nicollet match.