The week in volleyball saw SEC squads M-C and GM wrap up division titles. In the TRC, Caledonia clinched at least a share of the league by winning two conference games. Also, Spring Grove won another tourn-ament.
#5 Cougars Outlast
#8 Lions to Claim 25th Straight League Title
Eighth-ranked Spring Grove (11-1, 20-3) played two great sets of volleyball. They almost put long-time SEC bride, 5th-ranked Mabel-Canton (12-0, 27-2), in an 0-2 hole. But Lonnie Morken’s Cougars wore down the Lions in posting a win that clinched their 25th straight (out-right or shared) SEC title. The Lions, looking to end M-C’s decades long SEC league-game win streak (which dates to 2009), and possibly share the East title, were tough early. Down 11-8, SG had an 8-1 run, an eye-opener versus a Cougar squad. SG went ahead 16-12. Addyson McHugh had three kills and a block in the spurt. M-C battled away, using middles Kinley Soiney and Saijal Slafter. Each had five kills in the game. They got as close as 22-21. But a Joelle Halverson kill, a Sydney Holland ace, and a McHugh kill gave the Lions set one (25-22) in a jam-packed Mabel-Canton gym. Lion senior Kenadee Gerard had six kills in the game. Set two saw the Lions overcome an even bigger deficit with an even bigger run. M-C led 14-8 before SG went on a 10-1 spurt. McHugh had a block, an ace, and two kills in the span. A Gerard tip-kill put Kelsey Morken’s group up 18-15. But M-C then scored
three in a row, tying it at 18-18. The match was then tied at 19 and 20. M-C again scored three in a row (23-20), only for SG to follow (23-23). But Cougar sophomore setter Sahara Morken then scored with a scramble kill. Soiney put down the last point. M-C tied the match at 1-1 with a 25-23 win. At that point, Lion libero Maggie Lile had 21 digs (10-plus in each of the first two games). Set three was then competitive early, but M-C’s relentlessness scrambling and digging, which annulled point-after-point, their mental and physical focus and pressure, took their toll. The Cougars broke a 13-13 tied by scoring 10 of 14 points to lead 23-17. SG had a last gasp, scoring four in a row to close to down 23-21. But Soiney, M-C’s toughest hitter, put away the last two kills. The Cougars went ahead 2-1 with a 25-22 win. And game four, it was all Cougars after trailing early 3-1. M-C scored 19 of the next 24 points to lead 20-8. Kailey Ingvalson served eight straight points. The Lions erred often in a run that. The wind was out of SG’s sails. M-C coasted to the 25-14 win, the 3-1 match victory (21-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-14). Soiney (19 kills), just a frosh, and Slafter (19 kills on .347 hitting), just a sophomore, led M-C offensively. Sophomore setter Sahara Morken (8 kills, 46 assists, 21 digs) was the busiest Cougar. Injury-nagged Sophie Morken (20 digs), Ingvalson (6 kills, 20 digs, 21-22 serving, 3 aces), Lydia Vatland (18 digs), and McKenzie Kelly (17 digs) were part of back-line M-C wall that strengthened as the match went on. Lion seniors McHugh (17 kills, 7 digs, 4 total blks, 24-24 serving, 3 aces) and Gerard (16 kills, 8 digs) were powerful particularly early. Lile led all players defensively (34 digs, 20-20 serving). Kendal VanMinsel set the table (39 assists, 15 digs). Jordis Neeley (9 kills, 4 total blks) helped up front. Izabel Kaufmann (17 digs) did back-line work. M-C had 106 digs, SG 99. The Cougars had 58 kills on .212 hitting, SG 47 kills on .131 hitting. M-C served 95% (7 aces), SG 98% (6 aces). M-C (13-0, 28-2) shored up the SEC-East title. Like last year, SG got closer in the team’s second meeting.
M-C won the teams’ first match-up this year 3-1, by wider score-margins (24-26, 25-11, 25-13, 25-13). The Lions (11-2, 25-4) rebounded by winning the Goodhue Tourney (See below).
Larks Win Seventh Straight SEC-West Title
Given their recent mastery over other West foes, it was a foregone conclusion. Grand Meadow volleyball was going to win the SEC-West. The Larks entered the week having already clinched a share. They grabbed the outright title by beating G-E 3-0 (25-17, 25-11, 25-14). GM’s athletes, Lauren Queensland (7 kills, 11 digs), Kendyl Queensland (5 kills, 7 digs, 15-16 serving, 4 aces), Isabelle Fretty (3 kills, 14 assists, 6 digs), Rebecca Hoffman (4 kills, 18-18 serving, 3 aces), and Sydney Cotten (8 digs) did work. It is the Larks’ seventh straight SEC-West title, but first under first year coach Matt Rosaaen. GM wrapped up its week by beating Southland 3-0 (25-17, 25-15, 25-8) to sweep its way through West division foes. L-Queensland (13 kills, 7 digs), Fretty (4 kills, 29 assists, 12 digs), K-Queensland (7 kills, 7 digs), Cotten (12 digs), Lexy Foster (5 kills), and Hoffman (4 kills, 5 digs) did work. GM (11-2, 17-9-2) also took on the Apple Valley Tourney (See Volleyball).
Warriors Clinch Share of TRC Title
Coming off a big win over Chatfield, which put Caledonia in the driver’s seat in the TRC, the Warriors subdued back-to-back one-win league opponents to clinch at least a share of their conference’s title. Scott Koepke’s group first downed PEM at home 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-17). Senior Paige Klug had a team-high 13 kills, 9 digs, and 3 aces (8-8 serving) to lead the way. Logan Koepke (8 kills, 8 digs), Braelyn Lange (5 kills), and Liv Myhre (4 kills) also put down some shots. Jovial King (20 assists) set the table. Aubrie Klug (8 digs) and Emme Kittleson (7 digs) did back-line work. The Warriors then trekked to Eyota and took out D-E 3-0 (25-12, 25-11, 25-14). Koepke had 11 kills. Myhre (6 kills), Klug (6 kills, 6 digs), and Sienna Augedahl (6 kills, 5 total blks) helped on “O.” King had 22 assists. Alexis Schroeder (13 digs) and A-Klug (10 digs) led the defensive effort. The Warriors also took on the big-school Lakeville-North Tourney (See Volleyball). Team Cal (9-0, 15-12) leads the TRC ahead of their league finale with Fillmore Central (8-1, 18-9). Said game will decide the TRC title.
Spring Grove Grabs Goodhue Tourney Title
The Spring Grove girls claimed their second tournament championship of the season, winning all five matches at Goodhue without dropping a set. The Lions were efficient at the net and served more aces than errors in all five matches. It began with a 2-0 (25-14, 25-18) win against Hayfield that featured 25 kills and only four hitting errors (35% efficiency). Addyson McHugh had 11 kills, Joelle Halverson six, and Kenadee
Gerard five. Grove served 96% behind Kendal VanMinsel (16-16, two aces, 20 assists, 7 digs). Maggie Lile helped (10 digs, 6-6 serving, one ace). The Lions next vanquished conference neighbor Houston 2-0 (25-15, 25-18) with 30% hitting efficiency (20 kills, 4 errors). Gerard led with eight kills while McHugh scored with five kills and three blocks along with a team-high eight digs. Sydney Holland served 11 for 11 with two aces and dug six times. Izabel Kaufmann had seven digs. The girls then moved past two groups of Tigers, first Medford 2-0 (25-15, 25-16). The Lions enjoyed 23 kills (28% efficiency), led by Gerard with seven and Katelyn Kraus with five. Lile and McHugh each defended with seven digs. The Lake City Tigers scored the most points versus SG with the Lions prevailing 2-0 (25-22, 25-18) with another strong 35% hitting efficiency (23 kills) with only two attack misfires. McHugh scored with 10 kills and two blocks. Van Minsel supplied 21 assists. Solum served 7 for 7 with two aces. Lile went 10 for 11 with three aces. In the championship match, SG defeated Alden-Conger 2-0 (25-11, 25-19) with 25 kills and five errors (31%) and five blocks. McHugh led the way (10 kills, 4 blocks, 13-13 serving, 2 aces). Gerard put away seven kills. Holland served 8 for 8 with an ace. VanMinsel had 21 set assists. The #8 in Class A Lions improved to 25-4 overall.
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