As the second full week of the volleyball season started, three 3-0 teams sat atop the SEC-East; M-C, Lanesboro, and SG. Both the Lions and Burros took shots at the Cougars. On Tuesday, M-C trekked east to SG. Quick Cougar starts in each set stacked the Cougar deck. M-C began 10-1, 6-1, and 7-1 in the three games. The Cougars notched a convincing 3-0 sweep (25-11, 25-13, 25-17). Mixing it up offensively constantly, Kenidi McCabe (8 kills, 11 assists, 11 digs) and Sophie Morken (5 kills, 14 assists, 12 digs, 4 aces) led the way. Senior Lauren Wyffels set a tone with her serving (20-21 serving, 7 aces – at least two per set, 6 digs). Emily Carolyn (6 kills, .417 hitting), Jordyn Newgard (6 kills, 6 digs, 3 aces), and Molly Lee (4 kills, 6 digs) helped. SG’s Addyson McHugh (5 kills, 2 blocks, 11-11 serving, 4 aces) scored in multiple ways. Setter Rachel Normann (11 assists, 7 digs), Maggie Lile (8 digs), and VaNessa Peterson (8 digs) helped. Lanesboro (4-0) then trekked to M-C (4-0) to test themselves. Two sets were highly competitive. M-C dominated game one 25-9. Then the battles ensured. M-C started quick in game two (6-2). But Lanesboro then scored four straight (6-6). They fell back again (11-7), only to come back (11-11). The Burros actually led 15-13. A tie at 19 was the game’s seventh such occurrence. Down the stretch, M-C got points via three Burro errors. They took the game 25-21. Game three was like the second, M-C out early (6-3), Lanesboro reeling them in (7-7). Lanesboro led 10-8 before M-C went on a 7-1 run to lead 15-11. Lanesboro crept within 2 four times including to down 23-21 (after trailing 22-17). But the Cougars went to their top hitter, All-State Kenidi McCabe. She put an end to a fun match with a kill. M-C got the two-set competitive sweep (25-9, 25- 21, 25-22). McCabe (9 kills, 12 assists, 11 digs) and Morken (10 kills, 10 assists, 8 digs, 18-20 serving, 4 aces) did a lot of everything. Newgard (7 kills, 6 digs, 10-10 serving, 4 aces) was key help. Lanesboro was led by sophomore hitters Kaci Ruen (12 kills, 7 digs) and Jessie Schreiber (8 kills, 3 blks). Sydney Taylor added 5 kills and 12 digs. Ella Cambern did the setting (25 assists) while Malia Tessum (9 digs) passed. M-C (5-0, 5-0), ranked #4 in Class A, leads the SEC East over the Burros (4-1, 4-1), Randolph (4-1), SG (3-2, 3-2), Houston (2-3, 2-3), and S.A. (0-5, 0-5). Randolph beat SG 3-2 in another big match-up on the week.
SEC East Volleyball Triangular
