Just like the Wizard of Oz’s Dorothy, for Kaitlyn Flowers, one of 10 seniors on the Clipper Volleyball team, there’s no place like home.
With a sweep over Nicollet in the second round of the sections on Thursday, the Clippers finish with a 9-0 record on their court this season. They haven’t lost there since early September of 2025.
The Clippers have a definite homecourt advantage, Flowers said.
“We played very well, and I am proud of us.”
But for Flowers (readying for a dig above), the victory over the Raiders in the last home game of her career was bittersweet, and she will cherish the memories of competing there, especially the team bonding before the matches.
“We can get here early, and so today, we played loud music and just stood around and sang to each other. We can have that little movement together.”
The home crowd also makes playing in the gym extra special, she said.
“They bring the energy, and they make us play better just because of how loud it is.”
Now, heading to the section semifinals, the top-seeded Clippers will take on fourth ranked BOLD tonight at 6:00 p.m. on the St. Peter High School gym.
Game one against Nicollet started with a Raider kill, but with a pair of Melia Sathoff kills, the Clippers took a lead they would never give up. With a Kenzie Kortuem push into an open space of Raider floor, the Clippers won easily, 25-12.
Game two also started with a Raider hit the Clippers couldn’t field. Breaking serve, Kortuem shoved over another winner to put the Clippers on the board. With kills by Sathoff and Taylor McCabe, the Clippers maintained a wide lead, and the game ended 25-10 on a Liviana Lee kill.
Game three started on a McCabe kill. The Raiders hung around though, and after an Aubrey Blaschko kill, they spiked a pair of kills to deadlock the game at 15 before sending a serve out of bounds.
Following up with another ace block, Nicollet stalemated the game again, 16-16, strong on digs and kills, took advantage of a pair of kills and a couple of Clipper errors, to go ahead 19-18.
Sathoff hit to give the Clippers the lead. The Raiders sent over a kill to again knot the score but pushed the ball into the webbing after and didn’t win another point. From there, Kortuem flung another kill, Blaschko put up a stifling block, and Sathoff fired another bullet before the game ended 25-20 when the Raiders contacted the net.
Sathoff smashed 16kills. She also set up a pint, scooped five digs and served an ace. McCabe hammered nine kills, lifted 21 digs and stretched for one ace block assist. Lee had one kill and one ace block assist. Blaschko had four kills. Maile Meissner swung for three kills and extended for one ace block assist. Kortuem slammed five kills, two digs and an ace block assist.
Jocelyn Kortuem set up 29 points. She also hit for three points of her own, pulled up a dig, walled a solo ace block and served a pair of aces.
Delaney Thompson raised 16 digs. She also set up four points and served an ace. Keira Schipper had one dig. Luci Blaschko had four digs and one set assist. Flowers had three digs and a pair of ace serves.
BOLD beat fifth-seeded Mankato Loyola 3-1 to earn the right to play the Clippers. The Warriors have not met Cleveland this year. On the other side of the bracket, second-seeded Martin County West swept USC, and third-ranked Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s swept Cedar Mountain. The MCW vs SESM contest will follow the Clipper match. The Clippers have won over MCW once and SESM twice this season.
The section championship is back on the St. Peter court on Thursday at 6:00 p.m.
Libero Delaney Thompson stretches for a dig.
Taylor McCabe unleashes a kill. Covering the hit is Kaitlyn Flowers.
Luci Blaschko, Jocelyn Kortuem and Taylor McCabe watch a Kenzie Kortuem hit clear the net.
Melia Sathoff led the Clipper offense.
Maile Meissner watches her hit fall to the floor.
Raelynn Holicky dressed as a Viking fan. As a prelude to Halloween, she was one of the many fans who came in costume.
Anistyn Dauk found an orange witch hat for the occasion.
The pep band trombone section: Jack Mons, Pierce Lyons, Carson Lyons, Braeden Smith, Jackson Shouler, Jackson Wille and Adam Rain.
The pep band contributed to the excitement of the last home game of the season.
Food trio.
Fifth graders clap during the school song.
This young witch traded in her broomstick for a pom-pom.
Sharks in the stands.
ESPN hired Jackson Shouler, Braeden Smith and Garet Peterson as the broadcast crew.
Math teacher Dave Roberts as Randy “Macho Man” Savage.
Along with the ESPN crew, Elsie Theis, Gretchen Heldberg and Chase Roemhildt were the Student Council Fans of the Game.
Luke Kortuem, Jake Mueller, Jack Mons, Pierce Lyons and Jeremy Miller cheer from the stands.
Evie Johnson and Kennedy Dauk in shark snuggies.
The Clippers autographed posters after the game.