Above: Laci Hollerich follows through on a hit. Covering is Lexi Waldron.
Punctuating a remarkable 16-2 season with an exclamation point, the Clipper B-Squad girls easily defeated host Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial on Tuesday, 25-6, 25-14, 9-15.
While they improved all year, and several that started the season on B-Squad eventually moved all or partially up to varsity, coach Sally Kortuem wants all players to up their skills between now and when they reunite on the court next August.
“I hope these girls work hard in the off season because all of the former B-Squad players and current B-Squad are next year’s varsity.”
The Clippers scored the first six points of game one and never glanced backward. The frame ended on a Knight miscue.
With the net getting in the way, the Clippers forfeited the first two points of game two before Lexi Waldron posted an ace block. The second point for the Cleveland Bs came when Sophie Perkins pushed the ball into open LCWM floor.
With the Clippers trailing 4-2, a LCWM serve over the boundary line was the start of a seven-point Clipper spurt. Waldron airmailed four ace serves in the run, Maya Lassiter smashed down a hit, and the Clippers never glanced backward. Game two ended when the Knights sent a hit into the mesh.
The Clippers got down 6-2 in the final game and never caught back up. Mariah McCabe sent down a kill, and Caitlynn McCarthy came up with an ace serve to pull the Clippers within four, 13-9, but the game ended when the Clippers shot a couple of hits outside the boundary line.
For the night, Waldron had a quintet of ace serves and one ace block. Lassiter had four kills and a pair of ace blocks. Mariah McCabe had three kills. Lacey McCabe had two kills and an ace block. Laci Hollerich had two kills. Perkins had seven digs, two kills and six set assists. Greta Hahn had eight digs and six set assists in one game played. Lilly Lamont had six digs. McCarthy posted two blocks.
The Clippers' only losses were to Alden-Conger and narrowly to Lester Prairie in the TCU tourney.
Maya Lassiter reaches up for a hit.
Jersie Kelley bumps from the back row. Beside her is Cassandra Connor.
Mariah McCabe looks for an open spot to drop down a hit.
Lacey McCabe pushes the ball over the webbing.
Chloe Anderson scoops a dig. Beside her is Ava LaFrance.
Caitlyn McCarthy comes down after making a block.