Photo by Paul Trende
The Spring Grove 2023 volleyball season ended on Halloween at Rochester with a 3-2, five-set Section 1A quarterfinal setback to No. 5 seed Alden-Conger. With the No. 4 seed, the Lions evened the match by taking the second set 25-16 and the fourth set 25-20 after the Knights had won the first set 25-15 and the third set 25-16. The back-and-forth momentum held as A-C won again in the deciding fifth set, 16-14. Overall, A-C outscored SG, 102 to 95. The Knights (24-5) advanced to the semi-finals where they lost a five-set match to state-ranked No. 2 Mabel-Canton, the eventual section champion. Spring Grove closed at 22-7.
Joelle Halverson led Lion scoring with 23 kills and 39% hitting efficiency while Jordis Neeley attacked with 16 kills and three service aces. Kendal VanMinsel piloted the offense with 48 set assists while Sydney Holland had a team-high 25 digs. Neeley defended with 18 digs, Izabel Kaufmann with 14 and Katelyn Kraus 10.
Spring Grove led that final set 9-5 before Alden-Conger rallied from behind to tie at 9-9 and 11-11 before finally taking the lead at 12-11. The Lions pulled even at 12-12, 13-13 and 14-14 before it all ended with a Spring Grove hitting error and an Alden-Conger kill. In that set, the Lions had 12 kills to only seven for the Knights. But Grove gave away seven more error points than did A-C. Serving was critical in set five with three Lion service errors and no Knight misfires.
Errors were the deciding factor overall as well. Spring Grove had a two-point kill advantage (58-56), but the Lions had three more attacking errors and nine more total errors. It was a rare match in which Grove lost points at the service line. Each team served six aces, but the Lions had eight service errors, the Knights only four. The Grove girls limited errors in the two sets they won with five miscues and another four in sets two and four.
It was the second nail-biter this season between the two teams, who split a pair of sets at a regular-season tournament with the Lions prevailing by total points.
Match Totals
Earned Points: SG 67 (58K, 3B, 6A), AC 66 (56K, 4B, 6A)
Total Errors: SG 40, AC 31
Attacks: SG 189, AC 181
Kills/Errors: SG 58/26, AC 56/23
Hitting Efficiency: SG 17%, AC 18%
Ace Blocks: SG 3, AC 4
Serving: SG 92% (88-96), AC 96% (97-101)
Aces/Errors: SG 6/8, AC 6/4
Digs: SG 95, AC 96
Lion INDIVIDUALS – Digs 95: Sydney Holland 25, Jordis Neeley 18, Izabel Kaufmann 14, Katelyn Kraus 13, Kendal VanMinsel 8, Joelle Halverson 8, Emerson Ingvalson 6, Hailey Normann 2, Katie Klug 1. Set Assists 55: Kendal VanMinsel 48, Katelyn Kraus 2, Izabel Kaufmann 2, Sydney Holland 2, Jordis Neeley 1. Kills 58: Joelle Halverson 23, Jordis Neeley 16, Hailey Normann 10, Kendal VanMinsel 5, Emerson Ingvalson 3, Katelyn Kraus 1. Hitting efficiency (K-E/att) 17% (Leaders): Joelle Halverson 39% (23-2/54), Hailey Normann 23% (10-5/22), Kendal VanMinsel 14% (5-2/21), Jordis Neeley 10% (16-11/51). Ace Blocks 3: Katelyn Kraus 1.0 (2 assists); Emerson Ingvalson 0.5 (1 assist); Kendal VanMinsel 0.5 (1 assist); Jordis Neeley 0.5 (1 assist); Joelle Halverson 0.5 (1 assist). Service Aces 6: Jordis Neeley 3, Kendal VanMinsel 2, Emerson Ingvalson 1. Serving 92%: Sydney Holland 100% (19-19); Katie Klug 100% (10-10); Izabel Kaufmann 100% (8-8); Emerson Ingvalson 95% (18-19); VanMinsel 84% (16-19); Jordis Neeley 81% (17-21). Scoring 67: Joelle Halverson 23.5 (23K, 0.5B; Jordis Neeley 19.5 (16K, 0.5B, 3A); Hailey Normann 10.0 (10K); Kendal VanMinsel 7.5 (5K, 0.5B, 2A); Emerson Ingvalson 4.5 (3K, 0.5B, 1A); Katelyn Kraus 2.0 (1K, 1B)
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Spring Grove varsity (22-7, 12-2 SEC)
W at Southland 3-0
W vs. Houston 3-0
W vs. Schaeffer Academy 3-0
L at Mabel-Canton 1-3
W vs. Grand Meadow 3-0
W vs. Waukon 2-0
W vs. Riceville 2-0
W vs. Turkey Valley 2-0
W vs. Lanesboro 3-0
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 3-0
L vs. Kenyon-Wanamingo 1-2
L vs. Minneota 0-2
W vs. Ely 20-0
W vs. Nevis 2-0
L vs. Cleveland 0-2
W at Houston 3-0
W at Schaeffer Academy 3-0
L vs. Mabel-Canton 2-3
W vs. Kingsland 3-0
W vs. Glenville-Emmons 3-0
W vs. Lanesboro 3-0
W vs. Hayfield 2-0
W vs. Alden-Conger 1-1
W vs. Medford 2-0
L vs. Chatfield 0-2
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 2-0
W at Lyle/Pacelli 3-0
SECTION #4 seed
W vs. #13 Southland 3-0
L vs. #5 Alden-Conger 2-3
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Spring Grove B-team (18-0)
W vs. Southland 2-0
W vs. Houston 2-0
W vs. Schaffer 2-0
W vs. Mabel-Canton 2-0
W vs. Grand Meadow 2-0
W vs. Lanesboro 2-0
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 2-0
W vs. Houston 2-0
W vs. Schaeffer 2-0
- vs. Mabel-Canton 2-0
W vs. Kingsland 2-0
W vs. Lanesboro 2-0
W vs. Rochester Lourdes
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander
W vs. Kingsland 2-0
W vs. Lanesboro 2-1
W at Lanesboro 2-1
W at Lyle/Pacelli 2-0
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Spring Grove C-team (10-1-2)
W vs. Southland 2-0
W vs. Houston 2-0
T vs. Mabel-Canton 1-1
W vs. Grand Meadow 2-0
W vs. Lanesboro 2-1
T vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 1-1
W vs. Houston 2-0
W vs. Mabel-Canton 2-0
W vs. Kingsland 2-0
L at Lanesboro 0-2
W at Lyle/Pacelli 2-0
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Junior High Red (11-5-1)
L vs. Southland 0-2
W vs. Houston 2-0
W vs. Schaeffer 2-1
L vs. Mabel-Canton 1-2
W vs. Grand Meadow 2-1
W vs. Lanesboro 2-1
L vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 1-2
W vs. Houston 2-0
W vs. Schaeffer 2-1
T vs. South Winneshiek
W vs. South Winneshiek
W vs. Lewiston-Altura
L vs. South Winneshiek 1-2
W vs. Kee 3-0
L vs. Mabel-Canton 0-2
W vs. Kingsland 3-0
W vs. Glenville-Emmons 2-0
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Junior High Black (3-7)
L vs. Southland 0-2
W vs. Houston 2-0
L vs. Mabel-Canton 0-3
L vs. Grand Meadow 0-2
L vs. Lanesboro 1-2
L vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 0-2
W vs. Houston 2-0
L vs. South Winneshiek
L vs. Lewiston-Altura
L vs. Southland
L vs. Lewiston-Altura
L vs. Kee 1-2
L vs. Mabel-Canton 1-2
W vs. Kingsland 3-0
L vs. Glenville-Emmons 0-1
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