After an easy win over host New Ulm Cathedral in game one n, the Clipper JV girls came out on the short end of game two but came back to beat the Greyhounds in game three for a 2-1 match triumph in their season opener on Thursday.
Taylor McCabe’s kill was the first winner in game one and put the Clippers in front 3-2. They never trailed from there.
Luci Blaschko dished up three ace serves, Keira Schipper swatted down a kill, and the Clippers led 9-2.
From there, McCabe and Schipper each hit a pair of winners, and Anna Lamont produced two kills. McCabe served aces for Clipper points 20, 22 and 23, and the game ended 25-11 when a Cathedral player stepped over the line.
With a successful attack, the Greyhounds jumped out to a 6-1 lead in game two. A Maile Meissner kill broke up the run, but the Clippers trailed 6-2.
NUC posted the next three points, but Meissner went on a roll at the service line from there with four aces. With an Ava Kluntz ace tip, the game deadlocked at 9-9.
The Greyhounds scored 10 of the next 13 points though. Including an Aubrey Blaschko ace serve, the Clippers scored the next four points, but leading 19-16, Cathedral spurted for five-straight points.
The Clippers fought hard down the stretch with a Meissner ace tip, a pair of Amelia Chimel ace serves and a Kluntz kill, but the game ended 25-22 when the Clippers couldn’t assemble a return.
In the short game, the Clippers continued where they left off. Meissner pushed the ball over and down for the first point. The Clippers served into the net, but errors plagued Cathedral after that, and with a Meissner kill in the mix they pulled in ahead 7-1.
Cathedral got back on track from there but couldn’t overcome the deficit. Lamont swung for a kill, McCabe served up an ace, and Aubrey Blaschko pushed the ball over and down to put the Clippers in front 12-10.
With a Clipper serve out and an ace serve, Cathedral scored the next two points, but after a McCabe kill, Valentina Rohlfing’s serve caromed off the net and down for the match winner.
Rohlfing scraped six digs. McCabe hoisted five digs. Chmiel scooped three digs, and Blaschko had one dig.
Schipper had one solo block and teamed up with Jocelyn Kortuem for another block.
McCabe smacked six kills. Schipper and Lamont each had four kills. Meissner had three kills. Kluntz had two kills.
Kortuem assisted five points. Aubrey Blaschko and Cheyenne Lotspeich each had four set assists.
Meissner airmailed three ace serves. Luci Blaschko and McCabe each served three aces. Lotspeich and Chmiel each served a pair of aces. Rohlfing and Aubrey Blaschko had one ace.
The JV Clippers return to the court today (Saturday) when they road trip to New Prague for a 1:00 p.m. match at the middle school.
Above: Mailie Meissner watches her tip glide over the net.
