Above: Maile Meissner bumps near the net.
Avenging a regular-season loss, the Clipper seventh grade volleyball girls downed Alden-Conger 2-1 in the Valley Conference quarter-final round but fell to Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial in the championship for second place.
The tournament was hosted in Cleveland. Ten Valley teams competed with Martin Luther split off from GHEC/T.
The Clippers hung with LCWM up to the 19 mark in the first game, but the Knights broke away after that for a 25-20 triumph. The Knights went on a big run midway through game two and won easily 25-15.
The Clippers didn’t play up to their potential in the last match, and there wasn’t a dry eye on the team after the defeat, said coach Cassidy Kopet.
“But I told the girls even though they took a loss at the end of the day, I’m proud of them because they played 13 games of volleyball today. I saw a lot of great things out of them, but I knew it was a long day. I talked to the about being mentally tough. To be a great athlete you have to persevere through the hard times, both on the court and off the court and when your body wants to shut down.”
The Clippers opened the day with a win over Mankato Loyola, 25-9, 25-10. Madelia was their next victim, 25-10, 25-10 followed by Martin Luther, 25-17, 25-17 in the last round of pool play.
Keira Schipper’s ace tip put the Clippers up 23-21 in the first game against Alden-Conger, but the Knight’s scored the next three points on two kills and an ace serve.
Katelyn Flowers kept the game alive with an ace tip, and Schipper followed up with an ace serve, but the Clippers couldn’t organize a return on the next play, and the game knotted at 25.
Each team sent a serve out of bounds on the next two points, but the Clippers couldn’t make a return after, and the Knights went up 27-26.
But Anna Lamont came up with an ace tip, and the Clippers were within a point of a win after a hit out of bounds, but the Clippers served into the net and then succumbed to a kill and an ace tip for 30-28 defeat.
With a trio of Schipper service aces, the Clippers got off to a good start in game two. After another set of Schipper ace serves down the stretch, the Clippers easily won 25-9.
The Clippers kept the momentum in the rubber set, and with service aces by Neenah Lassiter came out on top 15-5.
In the second round of bracket play, the Clippers met up again with Martin Luther. This time they won both games 25-21.
The seventh-grade Clippers ended their season on Tuesday with a rematch against LCWM at home.
Sophie Austad pulls up a serve receive.
Amelia Chmiel readies for a dig.
Anna Lamont on the dig.
Taylor Wolf gets down on her knees for a scoop.
Keira Schipper sends the ball up. Behind her is Kaitlyn Flowers.
The Clippers celebrate after a point. They include Sajen Grandaw, Maile Meissner and Neenah Lassiter.
Kaitlyn Flowers pulls up a set.
Sajen Grandaw makes an underhand serve.