Given that Spring Grove topped Clipper Valley Conference nemesis Alden-Conger 25-20, 25-20 in pool play during the Goodhue tournament on Saturday, the Clippers’ 2-1 win over Spring Grove in the tournament championship was more than a quality victory.
“That was a good team, and it was good to get a win against them,” said Ava Hahn, who also had the satisfaction of reaching the 1000th career dig milestone during the tournament. “We all played together, and it was fun.”
Succumbing to the Lions’ offense, the Clippers were down by six midway through game one but caught up and eventually led 24-23. After each team traded a pair of winners—a Hahn kill and a Hahn ace roll for Cleveland—the Clippers hit out of bounds to stalemate the game 26-26. It ended 28-26 after a Lions kill followed by an ace serve.
The Lions, who beat the Clippers 2-0 during a tournament at Burnsville three weeks prior, were in front 4-1 in game two, but the Clippers didn’t throw in the towel and instead responded with six-straight points, which included a Jocelyn Kortuem kill, a Melia Sathoff ace serve, a Jocelyn Bartell ace block and a Hahn ace push.
The Lions posted the next four points for a 7-8 tie, and the lead swung back and forth from there until a Bartell kill put the Clippers in front 18-17. After a Hahn kill and ace blocks by Kortuem and Taylor McCabe, the game ended 25-22 on a Sathoff kill.
After a Spring Grove hit out of bounds followed by a Bartell ace tip, the Clippers led the rubber game 9-7. From there, McCabe swung for a kill, Sophie Perkins and Sathoff served aces before Hahn’s match-point kill won the game 15-11.
Pool play
The Clippers started the day with an easy-peasy win over LeRoy Ostrander, 25-11, 25-14. Next, they topped Goodhue 2-0. Rushford -Peterson was an opportunity to give more players floor time. The Clippers won the first game, lost the second by two points but still won the match on points.
With the Clippers trailing Goodhue 21-18 in game one, Bartell’s kill was the catalyst to a six-point run that also featured a pair of Hahn kills and a Hahn ace serve and a Kortuem ace tip that put the Clippers in front 23-22.
With an ace block and an ace roll, Goodhue got the lead back but got tagged for a carry that put the Clippers in front 24-23. A kill kept the Wildcats alive, but Hahn struck for a pair of kills for the Clipper triumph.
A Kortuem kill was the first winner in game two. It ended 25-17 when Savannah Meyer stepped out of her element and swung for a kill.
Perkins served an ace, and Sathoff unleashed a kill during a 4-0 start in game one against Rushford-Peterson. It ended 25-15 on a Clipper kill.
Hahn sent over a kill from the back row, and Addi Holden followed with a push over for an ace to start off game two against the Trojans. With a Melia Sathoff kill, the Clippers led 3-0.
While the Clippers were getting in players off the bench, the Trojans hung around and led 24-20 on a pair of kills. With a pair of Sathoff kills and another kill by Hahn from the back row followed by an RP error, the game deadlocked at 24, but after the Clippers lost a point for two hits, it ended 26-24 on a RP kill.
Late in the second game came Hahn’s 1000th dig. She joins McKenna Robb (CHS 2020) as the only Clipper to compile both 1000 career digs and 1000 career kills. Other members of the 1000 Dig Club are her current teammate Meyer and Emma Sweere (2023).
Hahn said digs are harder to get than kills because they are less in her control.
“You have to wait until they hit at you. For a kill, you get someone to set you.”
Alden-Conger beat Goodhue 2-1 to take third place. In the game for fifth place, Medford beat RP. In the game for seventh place, Hayfield beat Leroy-Ostrander.
Stats
Hahn finished the tournament with 65 digs. Meyer totaled 61 digs. She now has 1232 digs and is close to surpassing Robb's career 1246. Sweere finished her career with 1363 digs.
Sathoff had 34 digs. Perkins had 31 digs. Bartell had three digs. Lacey McCabe had seven digs. Kortuem had 11 digs. Taylor McCabe had eight digs. Keira Schipper had one dig.
Hahn also added 55 kills to her resume. Sathoff struck 29 kills. Bartell had nine kills. Kortuem had eight kills. Taylor McCabe had 13 kills. Meyer, Perkins, Schipper and Holden each had one kill.
Perkins assisted on 103 points and now has 717 career assists along with 32 ace serves and 229 digs.
“She has been killing it,” said assistant coach Bree Meyer.
Meyer had three set assists. Bartell, Hahn, Kortuem and Lacey McCabe each passed for one assist.
Hahn put up to ace block assists. Sathoff had one block assist. Bartell extended for two solo ace blocks and four block assists. Taylor McCabe had one solo ace block and one ace block assist. Kortuem and Perkins each had two ace block assists. Schipper had one ace block assist.
The Clippers close out their regular season tonight, Senior Night, against Sibley East.
The Goodhue tournament champions: From L-R. front row: Luci Blaschko, Taylor McCabe, Ava Hahn, Savannah Meyer, Lacey McCabe, Delaney Thompson, Evelyn Keltgen and Valentina Rohlfing. Back row: Head coach Dave Nixon, Anika Sathoff, Addi Holden, Sophie Perkins, Maya Lassiter, Jocelyn Bartell, Melia Sathoff, Keira Schipper, Jocelyn Kortuem and assistant coach Bree Meyer.
