Waterville-Elysian-Morristown and Nova Classical Academy (St. Paul) avenged losses to the Cleveland varsity girls during last year’s tournament in Waterville, both topping the Clippers 2-1 on Saturday back in Waterville.
Assembling the best record in the five matches, its lone game loss to Cleveland, Nova won the tournament.
With a 25-17 win over WEM, the Clippers got off to a good start. On a four-point spurt in game two, the Buccaneers took over after the 10-10 mark. The Clippers hung around though, but after back-to-back Ava Hahn kills, they fell 25-22 on a WEM kill.
After the Clippers hit out of bounds to give the Bucs the first point of the rubber game, they went on a seven-point run with three Hahn kills and an Anika Sathoff ace serve in the mix. But trailing 9-2, the Bucs went on the warpath, scoring nine of the next 10 points.
“Things were going really well, but Waterville…they compete, and they are going to compete to the end,” said head coach Dave Nixon. “You have to beat them. You have to score on them because they don’t make a lot of mistakes.”
Nixon said the Clipper offense didn’t sync as well as he would have liked, and that didn’t help their cause.
“Unfortunately, we got out of system a little bit. We were too predictable I think with not being able to set everyone in the front row. We relied on our outsides, which we will do, but in a game like that, it is helpful to get our middles going, get some help from the right side and be in system because that’s when they have to respect our middles and right side, they can’t go camp out on the outside. But they don’t make mistakes, and they keep the ball in play; they make it really hard to score.”
Jocelyn Bartell posted an ace block to put the Clippers back in front 11-10, and Hahn followed with an ace serve, but scoring five of the next six points, it was all Bucs down the stretch, and the Clippers lost the game 15-13.
Bouncing back, the Clippers took their loss out on Fairmont, sweeping the Cardinals 25-10, 25-13. Game two finished when Evelyn Keltgen followed a Taylor McCabe kill with an ace serve.
Next up was Grand Meadow. The Superlarks took over game one after the 6-6 mark. Ahead 20-15, they scored the last five points for the decisive win.
The Clippers reversed the outcome in game two though, winning 25-14 after a Sophie Perkins kill. Carrying the momentum into game three, they won the match 2-1 with a 15-6 triumph.
Against Nova, the Clippers were in the spectacular presence of 6-0 senior Ava Ball. The U of South Dakota commit is one of the best hitters in the state.
Nixon said it is a growth opportunity to face a player with Ball’s talent for a couple of reasons.
“To see a player at that level helps you know how to deal with it because to compete at a state tournament you are going to see that type of a player, not a ton of those players because she’s a pretty special player. She hits the ball as hard as anyone in the state of Minnesota, and it is fun trying to figure out a way to defend her.”
Ball is also an example of what can be achieved on a volleyball court, Nixon said.
“It’s just good as a player to see a higher level of skill so it can motivate you to become better. Watching how hard she goes in, how hard she approaches and how hard she swings helps younger players. It is just good to see that kind of player play and know there is a higher level of volleyball out there that we don’t always see.”
The Clippers managed to take game one though 25-22, and, with Hahn swinging for winners, fought hard in game two but fell 25-18 after a Ball laser. Most of the Clippers’ points in game three came from Nova errors, and they lost 15-12.
The long day ended for the Clippers on a high note though when they continued their reign over New Ulm Cathedral with 25-16 and 25-12 victories. It was Nixon’s 400th match win (see separate story).
“We will keep improving, keep working hard and keep trying to battle,” Nixon said. “That will only get us ready for playoffs.”
Hahn totaled 64 kills in the five matches. She also scraped 39 digs, set for four points and served three aces.
Anika Sathoff swatted 38 kills, propped up 13 digs, dished nine ace serves, put up one ace block and set up one point.
Melia Sathoff had 11 kills, 11 digs, five ace serves and one assisted block.
Maya Lassiter had 9 kills, six digs and one set assist.
Perkins set up 115 points. She also swung for seven kills, brought up 31 digs, stretched for two ace blocks and two block assists and dished up two ace serves.
Taylor McCabe had seven kills, three digs
Savannah Meyer scooped 61 digs. She also had 10 set assists and served five aces.
Luci Blaschko had 24 digs, one ace serve and one set assist.
Keltgen had one ace serve.
Bartell had two ace blocks, two digs and one set assist.
Lacey McCabe had 12 digs and one set assist.
Jocelyn Kortuem had 12 digs, one set assist and one ace block.
Mailie Meissner had one ace block.
Tonight (Tuesday), the Clippers travel to Mayer to take on Mayer Lutheran, last year’s Section 2A champion. With a 6-3 record, its losses are to 4A schools.
Above: Jocelyn Bartell and Ava Hahn watch a tip roll down the Fairmont side of the court.
