With the varsity Clipper girls, as expected, sweeping host Mankato Loyola on Monday, the match was more about Dig’N Pink, a fundraiser to support cancer patients.
It was the 14th year the Clippers have participated in Dig’N Pink. Through sales and a silent auction in the hallway outside the gym, collections in the bleachers as well as a raffle and donations from corporations and individuals, the event generated over $14,000. The money raised by the Crusaders and the Clippers goes to the Mankato Clinic Foundation and it is distributed to patients via gift cards.
The Crusaders got off to a good start in game one, blocking a pair of Ava Hahn hits for aces and a 4-3 advantage. But they made a couple of errors after, and with a Sophie Perkins kill, the Clippers led 6-4 and never lost the lead from there.
After an Anika Sathoff kill for point 24, the Clippers won 25-14 on a Crusader hit over the boundary stripe.
Perkins’ second assist was her career 500th. She came into this year with 18, one from 2022 and 17 from last year, when she spent most of her time in the middle up front.
Head coach Dave Nixon said the senior setter has a calm presence and a solid relationship with her teammates, both benefits for the Clippers.
“We’ve trusted her to run the offense. Mentally, setter is one of the hardest positions to play. She’s the quarterback out there, and there is a lot to think about. You have to put hitters in a position to get success, and then you get a lot of blame when things aren’t going well. But she’s been doing very well and has done everything we’ve asked of her.”
Game two started with a Melia Sathoff kill. The Crusaders hung around though, and after a three-point spurt were in front 15-13. But they didn’t score another point. After three Loyola errors, the Clippers were back in front before their offense went on the warpath with kills by Hahn, Taylor McCabe and even from libero Savannah Meyer for a 25-15 victory.
The run spilled into game three where the Clippers led 9 to zippo before the Crusaders posted a point when the Clippers didn’t assemble an over. Maya Lassiter stretched for an ace block, and Hahn and Anika Sathoff swung for winners from there for a 13-2 Clipper advantage.
With the Clippers clearing their bench, the Crusaders narrowed their deficit. After a Lassiter kill put Cleveland in front 23-19, the Crusaders pulled within a point, but an out-of-bounds serve halted the uprising, and the game ended 25-22 on an Anika Sathoff kill.
Hahn totaled a dozen kills. Anika Sathoff had nine kills. Melia Sathoff had five kills. Taylor McCabe had four kills. Perkins had two kills. Lassiter had one kill. Jocelyn Bartell had one kill. Meyer had one kill.
Perkins set up 28 points. Jocelyn Kortuem set up two assists. Meyer, Hahn and Luci Blaschko each had one set assist.
Meyer led the back row with 25 digs. Melia Sathoff scooped 14 digs. Hahn had nine digs. Perkins hoisted seven digs. Lacey McCabe had four digs. Lassiter and Kortuem each had three digs. Kortuem and Blaschko each had three digs. Anika Sathoff and Taylor McCabe each had two digs. Addi Holden and Valentina Rohlfing each excavated one dig.
Anika Sathoff put up four block assists. Lassiter was the other half of three of them while Bartell teamed up with her on one.
Kortuem and Anika Sathoff each served an ace.
The Clippers host Nicollet tonight. The Raiders are 0-5 in the conference but have been improving.
Above: This year, the Clippers wore game regulation jerseys. They are, from L-R, front row: Jocelyn Kortuem, Luci Blaschko, Lacey McCAbe, Savannah Meyer, Ava Hahn, Delaney Thompson, Keira Schipper and Valentina Rohlfing. Back row: Melia Sathoff, Anika Sathoff, Maile Meissner, Evelyn Keltgen, Jocelyn Bartell, Maya Lassiter, Sophie Perkins, Addi Holden, Taylor McCabe and head coach Dave Nixon.
