The Spring Grove girls took the exciting first set, but the rest of the night belonged to visiting Mabel-Canton, 3-1 (SG 26-24, M-C 25-11, 25-12, 25-13) in a Sept. 20 clash of top-ten, state-ranked volleyball teams. After winning their first 42 sets of the season, undefeated Mabel-Canton responded well to a setback. Shortly after the Cougars dropped their first set of the season, the Lions lost their first set of 2022.
The Cougars improved to 12-1 (7-0 SEC East) while the Lions lost for the first time at 12-1 (6-1 SEC East). There was a packed house on a steamy night during which play was interrupted many, many times while players toweled off wet spots on the court.
Photo by Lee Epps
Nearly half of Mabel-Canton’s attack errors (7 of 15) and exactly half of their service errors (3 of 6) came during that first set. But at the net overall, the Cougars hit with a good 30% efficiency (48 kills, 15 errors) and Spring Grove much less successful at 14% (33 kills, 18 errors). Likewise from the service line with Mabel-Canton serving 94% with 10 aces and the Lions only 79% with fewer kills (7) than wayward serves (13).
For SG, Kendal VanMinsel had 25 set assists while Addyson McHugh put away 10 kills, Kenadee Gerard 8 kills and Joelle Halverson 6. For M-C, Sahara Morken had 38 assists while Kinley Soiney scored with 17 kills and 5 blocks. Saijal Slafter had 10 kills and Sophie Morken 9.
There were never more than four points separation during set one, which was tied nine times. Then Mabel-Canton scored the first eight points of set two, the first five points of set three and the first four points of the final set. The Cougars closed the second set with an 11-0 run, separated with an 8-0 run in the third set and finished the match with a 7-0 spurt.
The Lion B-team remained undefeated after seven matches with a 2-0 victory (25-15, 25-16). The Cougars prevailed in the C-team match, 2-0 (25-20, 25-14).
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Varsity Match Totals
Earned Points: SG 45 (33K, 5B, 7A), MC 62 (48K, 4B, 10A)
Total Errors: SG 41, MC 22
Attacks: SG 110, MC 111
Kills/Errors: SG 33/18, MC 48/15
Hitting Efficiency: SG 14%, MC 30%
Ace Blocks: SG 5, MC 4
Serving: SG 79% (50-63), MC 94% (92-98)
Aces/Errors: SG 7/13, MC 10/6
Digs: SG 35, MC 47
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Lion INDIVIDUALS
Digs 35: Maggie Lile 8, Kendal VanMinsel 7, Addyson McHugh 6, Sydney Holland 4, Izabel Kaufmann 3, Lydia Solum 3, Katelyn Kraus 2, Kenadee Gerard 1, Joelle Halverson 1
Set Assists 29: Kendal VanMinsel 25, Izabel Kaufmann 2, Maggie Lile 1, Katelyn Kraus 1
Kills 33: Addyson McHugh 10, Kenadee Gerard 8, Joelle Halverson 6, Lydia Solum 4, Kendal VanMinsel 3, Maggie Lile 1, Katelyn Kraus 1
Hitting efficiency (K-E/att.) Leaders: Lydia Solum 40% (4-0/10); Joelle Halverson 31% (6-1/11); Addyson McHugh 13% (10-6/32); Kendal VanMinsel 11% (3-1/18)
Ace Blocks 5: Katelyn Kraus 1.5 (3 assists); Kenadee Gerard 1.5 (3 assists); Addyson McHugh 1.0 (2 assists); Kendal VanMinsel 0.5 (1 assist); Lydia Solum 0.5 (1 assist)
Service Aces 7: Maggie Lile 2, Kenadee Gerard 2, Sydney Holland 2, Kendal VanMinsel 1
Serving: Maggie Lile 77% (10-13); Addyson McHugh 88% (7-8); Lydia Solum 83% (10-12); Kenadee Gerard 67% (6-9); Sydney Holland 92% (11-12); Kendal VanMinsel 67% (6-9)
Scoring 45: Kenadee Gerard 11.5 (8K, 1.5 B, 2A); Addyson McHugh 11.0 (10K, 1.0 B); Joelle Halverson 6.0 (6K); Lydia Solum 4.5 (4K, 0.5 B); Kendal VanMinsel 4.5 (3K, 05 B, 1A); Maggie Lile 3.0 (1K, 2A); Katelyn Kraus 2.5 (1K, 1.5 B); Sydney Holland 2.0 (2A)
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Spring Grove Volleyball 2021 (varsity approximately 7:15 p.m.)
12 wins, 1 loss (6-1 SEC)
W at Southland 3-0
W vs. Lyle/Pacelli 3-0
W at Schaffer Academy 3-0
W at Lanesboro 3-0
W vs. Houston 3-0
W at Glenville-Emmons 3-0
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Waukon Tournament
W vs. Postville, Iowa 2-0
W vs. Crestwood, Iowa 2-0
W vs. (Lansing) Kee, Iowa 2-0
W vs. MFL/MarMac, Iowa 2-0
W vs. Waukon, Iowa 2-0
W vs. Crestwood, Iowa 2-0
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L vs. Mabel-Canton 1-3
09/22 Grand Meadow
09/23-24 at Class A Showcase
09/29 Schaeffer Academy
10/03 Lanesboro
10/06 at Kingsland
10/11 at Houston
10/13 at Mabel-Canton
10/15 at Goodhue Tournament
10/17 LeRoy-Ostrander
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B-team Volleyball 2021
7 wins, 0 losses
W at Southland 2-0 (25-13, 25-18)
W vs. Lyle/Pacelli 2-0 (25-7, 25-7)
W at Schaeffer Academy 2-0 (25-4, 25-7)
W at Lanesboro 2-0 (25-11, 25-16)
W vs. Houston 2-0 (25-4, 25-9)
W at Glenville-Emmons 2-0 (25-12, 25-8)
W vs. Mabel-Canton 2-0 (25-15, 25-16)
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C-team (freshman) Volleyball 2021
5 wins, 2 losses
L at Southland 1-2 (21-25, 25-14, 12-15)
W vs. Southland 3-0 (25-22, 25-19, 15-8)
W vs. Caledonia 3-0 (25-14, 25-17, 15-13)
W vs. Fillmore Central 3-0 (25-14, 25-23, 15-9)
W at Lanesboro 2-0 (25-18, 25-20)
W vs. Houston 2-0 (25-4, 25-7)
L vs. Mabel-Canton 0-2 (20-25, 14-25)