Running on all six cylinders, at least when they needed to, the JV girls defeated visiting Martin County West 2-0 on Thursday.
Kaitlyn Flowers started the match with a kill, but the Mavericks responded with two of their own.
Their lead was brief though, because with a Flowers ace serve, kills by Aubrey Blaschko and Ava Kluntz and an Anna Lamont ace block in the mix, the Clippers scored eight of the next ten points to lead 9-4. But the Mavericks went back on the attack for a 14-12 advantage.
After a trio of Maverick flubs, the Clippers found themselves up by a point, 15-14 and then scored four of the next five, including kills by Lamont and Blaschko and back-to-back ace serves from Maile Meissner, for a 19-15 advantage.
Winning the next five points though, mostly on hits, MCW went up by a point, and he lead swung back and forth from there. Amelia Chmiel served an ace, and Flowers smacked down a kill to put the Clippers in front 24-22, but the Mavericks scored the next three points on an ace tip, a Clipper hit out of bounds and a kill.
Flowers saved the game with a kill, and after Valentina Rohlfing’s ace serve, the Clippers led 26-25, but the stubborn Mavericks hit two kills to once again put them at match point.
But feigning a set and instead pushing the ball into an open spot of MCW floor, Jocelyn Kortuem deadlocked the game at 27. From there, Flowers bashed a kill, and the Clippers won the game 29-27 after a Maverick hit out of bounds.
The Mavericks maintained a narrow lead in game two until Liviana Lee’s kill knotted the score at 15. Lamont and Blaschko added kills, and Flowers followed a kill with a pair of service aces for a 21-15 Clipper lead.
The Mavericks spurted for three points, two of them on hits, but Lamont sent over a kill, and Meissner served an ace to add back some padding. The Mavericks scored on a kill and a line infraction, but the game ended 25-21 after a Blaschko kill followed by a Lee ace tip.
Game three was for practice and fun, and when time ran out, it ended 14-11 in MCW’s favor.
Flowers uncoiled for seven kills. Lamont had six kills. Blaschko had four kills. Lee and Kluntz each had two kills. Kortuem and Evelyn Keltgen each had one kill.
Kortuem assisted ten points. Lotspeich totaled six set assists. Blaschko and Rohlfing each had three set assists. Flowers had one set assist.
Flowers had seven digs while Lamont had five. Rohlfing, Chmiel and Cheyenne Lotspeich scraped four digs. Kortuem had three digs. Blaschko and Lee each had two digs.
Lee posted one solo block. Meissner and Blaschko each assisted two blocks.
Flowers dished up five aces. Meisner and Chmiel each sent three aces across the net. Rohlfing served one ace. The Clippers only missed six serves.
The JV Clippers return to action on Tuesday when they road trip to Madelia.
Above: Aubrey Blaschko, Jocelyn Kortuem and Maile Meissner ready on defense.
