Two years ago, at Cleveland volleyball’s Dig’N Pink night, a fundraiser to support cancer patients, Laci Hollerich presented her grandfather and Cleveland resident Robert Petrich a check from some of the monies raised from the event.
A little over a year later, Petrich succumbed to the disease.
“He fought his hardest and didn’t let cancer stop him from living his life,” said Hollerich. “He was so happy to receive the check. He wouldn’t stop talking about how thankful he was and how much it helped him.”
Hollerich spoke to the crowd before the start of Tuesday's volleyball Dig’N Pink night match between host Cleveland and Mankato Loyola, where players from both teams cooperated in the fundraiser.
It was the 13th year the Clippers have participated. Through a silent auction, shirt sales and donations from some 75 corporations and individuals, the event is expected to generate somewhere in the neighborhood of $20,000. The money raised by the Crusaders and the Clippers goes to the Mankato Clinic Foundation and it is distributed to patients via gift cards.
Back on the court, the Clippers downed the Crusaders in the first game 25-12 after an Anika Sathoff attack. In game two, a Hollerich ace block and a Hollerich kill were the bookends to a 25-10 triumph. With a Maya Lassiter ace roll, the Clippers won game three 25-7.
Petrich would have been proud of the year that his granddaughter is having as a hitter and blocker on the right side. Against the Crusaders, she added 10 kills and one block assist to her résumé.
Left-side hitter Ava Hahn led the Clippers in hitting with 13 kills. Melia Sathoff had seven kills. Greta Hahn set up 31 winners.
Savannah Meyer excavated 18 digs. Chloe Anderson shoveled 10 digs. Ava Hahn scooped nine digs.
Greta Hahn, Lassiter and Jocelyn Bartell also had one block assist.
Sathoff safely landed all 25 of her serves. The Crusaders couldn’t handle 20 percent of them. Meyer was 19 for 19 in serving with a pair of aces. Lacey McCabe dished up two aces as well. Ava Hahn and Delaney Thompson each dispatched one ace serve.
The Clippers played in a tournament in Marshall on Friday and Saturday. They host Le Sueur-Henderson on Monday.
Above: The Clipper volleyball team in front of the Holtmeier pink dump truck. It includes, from L-R, front row: Oliva Shouler, Chloe Anderson, Ava Hahn, Greta Hahn, Mariah McCabe, Savannah Meyer, Lacey McCabe and Delaney Thompson. Back row: Laci Hollerich, Sophie Perkins, Maya Lassiter, Addi Holden, Melia Sathoff, Anika Sathoff, Jocelyn Bartell and Lilly Lamont.
The Clippers and the Crusaders pose in front of the Holtmeier dump truck.
The silent auction was held in the commons. At left is Missy Clark-Strachan, who organizes Dig’N Pink.
Kylie Wobbrock, Jocelyn Clark, Allie Anderson, Natalie Flowers, Gretchen Heldberg and Hadley Thompson check out a basket in the silent auction.
Oliva Shouler sang the National Anthem before the match.
Lucy Smith during the National Anthem
Laci Hollerich and Jocelyn Bartell go up for a block.
Savannah Meyer scoops a Loyola serve. Beside her is Ava Hahn.
Laci Hollerich goes up for a block.
Maya Lassiter on the hit.
Addi Holden and Anika Sathoff stretch for a block.
Lacey McCabe winds up for a serve.
Laci Hollerich hit.
The student section was all a pink.
At Dig’N Pink two years ago, Laci Hollerich awarded her grandfather Bob Petrich a check to help him with expenses during his cancer treatment.