Like all sports, and life itself, volleyball has no guarantees. Every dig, set or hit could be a player’s last.
But with quarantines and mandates shaping the face of activities this fall, whether an athlete or an entire team will compete another day is as uncertain as ever.
The Clippers girls got one more in on Tuesday though when they defeated host Mankato Loyola in a choppy three sets.
The girls were aware before the match that it could be their last, said head coach Bree Meyer, especially seniors Halle McCabe and Serena Williams. Brianna Connor, the other senior on the team, was still stuck at home.
“We had fun. We got everyone in.”
The Crusaders, whose only win so far this season was against ML/GHEC/T, pulled ahead 8-6 in game one after the Clippers allowed an ace serve, but the next serve was out of bounds.
Back on the Clipper side, Emma Sweere looped over a short serve that caught the Crusaders napping. Following up, McCabe and Harley Connor slammed back-to-back winners, and the Clippers were suddenly ahead 10-8.
Loyola hung around for a few points, but eventually the Clippers pulled away and won the game 25-16 after Taylin Gosch set up a McCabe kill.
Off kilter at the start of game two as well, the Clippers were down 7-2 before the Crusaders served into the net and Emily Kern rattled off a trio of service aces to pull her team within a point.
From there it was a see-saw battle until a seven-point spurt, which featured Kern and McCabe kills and a trio of Zoe Porter service aces, put the Clippers up 17-11.
Trailing 24-15 after a Sarena Remiger kill, Loyola assembled five-straight points, but the game ended 25-19 after a Mady Steen attack.
Grayce Kortuem’s ace spike was the first point of game three. Scoring on missed Clipper hits and serves the Crusaders pulled ahead 7-6 before sending a serve over the back line.
From there, Sweere dropped in a couple of ace serves, and McCabe and Connor each paddled a kill for a lead the Clippers would maintain. The game and match ended on a Kern kill, her 11th of the night.
Kern had 11 digs, five blocks and four ace serves too. McCabe bashed 10 kills. Connor dropped in four kills. Gosh set up 37 assists. Porter lifted 11 digs and arced 13 of 14 serve attempts with four of them aces. Sweere scooped up a baker’s dozen digs and airmailed four ace serves.
Jordyn Klingel had three digs. Remiger had two kills and Steen one. Allison Jindra raised two digs. Laci Hollerich had one kill and two digs.
On the docket at least, the Clippers, 9-1 with the win, host Loyola on Thursday and Alden-Conger on Friday.
Grace Kortuem in hand-to-hand combat at the net. She won the battle.
Emily Kern extends for a block.
Halle McCabe bumps up a serve receive.
Mady Steen’s kill ended game two.
Jordyn Klingel bounces up a serve receive.
Halle McCabe sends over a hit.