Fillmore County Journal

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Volleyball: #3 Gophers Clinch Share of TRC Title, Win Goodhue Tourney

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Chatfield volleyball continued its excellent season. Up to #3 in the Class AA polls, the Gophers knocked off Rushford-Peterson and Lewiston-Altura to guarantee they will be at least co-TRC champions. Chatfield also won the Goodhue Touney title, going 5-0 with a 10-0 set record. Above pictured are (back row left to right) Head Coach Kristi Rindels, Evy Goldsmith, Lexi Hinckley, Jaelyn LaPlante, Charleigh Larson and Manager Braelee Horsman, (front row left to right) Kylin Schroeder, Harper Goldsmith, Cora Bicknese, Hannah Tweten and Trindy Barkeim.
Photo submitted

Chatfield volleyball entered its last full week of regular season action sitting in sole possession of first place in the TRC.   A 7-0 week has #3 in Class AA Chatfield continuing it excellent campaign.  Just a few days after beating R-P at home non-conference 3-1, the Gophers swept the Trojans 3-0 (25-15, 25-20, 25-14) in the teams’ league affair. 

Harper Goldsmith notched her third triple-double to lead the effort (10 kills, 18 assists, 11 digs, 4 total blks, 20-22 serving, 3 aces).  Jaelyn LaPlante (15 kills, 8 digs) and Cora Bicknese (7 assists, 28 digs) also played big.  Hannah Tweten (12 assists, 5 digs, 11-11 serving, 3 aces), Evy Goldsmith (9 kills), and Trindy Barkeim (5 kills, 6 digs) helped the cause.  R-P was led by Torryn Schneider (20 digs), Ava Helgemoe (9 kills), Kayla Magin (11 assists, 6 digs), Lindsey Hoiness (4 kills, 14 digs), and Kallie Eide (6 digs). 

Chatfield then hosted Lewiston-Altura, took the first two sets, spotted the Cardinals a game, but then won in four (25-19, 25-16, 23-25, 25-18).  H-Goldsmith (10 kills, 21 assists, 7 digs, 24-28 serving, 6 aces) was again all-over.  LaPlante (16 kills, 8 digs), E-Goldsmith (10 kills), Tweten (13 assists), Bicknese (5 assists, 10 digs), Barkeim (8 kills), and Charleigh Larson (17-20 serving, 4 aces) helped.  Said win guaranteed Chatfield a share of the TRC title. 

Kristi Rindels’ group then swept through five teams at the Goodhue Tourney, beating Medford 2-0 (25-14, 25-14), Hayfield 2-0 (25-16, 25-18), Alden-Conger 2-0 (25-10, 25-20), and Spring Grove 2-0 (25-15, 25-21) in pool play.  Both the Knights (21-5) and Lions (20-7) are 20 wins (Class A) teams.  Chatfield then ended its week how it started it, playing R-P for the title.  The Gophers prevailed 2-0 (25-18, 25-13) to claim the championship. 

For SG and R-P’s results at Goodhue, see “Non-Conference Volleyball.”  The Gophers (9-0, 23-2) have now surpassed 20 wins and will at least share the TRC title with FC (8-1, 17-5) or Caledonia (8-1, 22-5), who play in a TRC season finale.  Chatfield can in the title out-right by beating W-K.

The long arms of Tayler Helgemoe (right) look destined for a block of this tip by Chatfield’s Jaelyn LaPlante. Fellow Trojan Rebecca Magin is also at the net while Gopher Cora Bicknese (#2) is there for recovery. The Gopher and Trojans started the week and ended the week playing each other. Chatfield (9-0, 23-2) won the teams’ TRC matchup 3-0 and then swept R-P 2-0 in the finals of the Goodhue Tourney, where the teams took first and second.
Photo by Dawn Hauge