Above: Sarena Remiger builds up a block.
Filled with orange pylons, yellow caution tape and white hard hats, the Cleveland gym looked like a demolition zone on Tuesday, and on the court, the Clipper girls did some wrecking of their own with a 3-0 win over non-conference Sibley East.
It was “Construction Day” for homecoming week.
The Wolverines hung with the Clippers in game one, were even ahead a little bit, but ultimately lost by four points. The next two games were all Clippers for the decisive triumph.
“Greta (Hahn) did a nice job of spreading out the offense,” said head coach Dave Nixon. “She got the middles going and that always opens up the left side and right side.”
Lexy Waldron sledgehammered 10 kills. Ava Hahn swung for nine kills. Sarena Remiger and Melia Sathoff each cracked down five kills. Harley Connor smashed four kills.
Ava Hahn’s kill was the first Clipper winner in game one. Connor’s spike tied the game at 2-2. The Wolverines won the next two points, but Hahn sent over a pair of service aces. After Greta Hahn faked a set over and down to the floor and Waldron tipped down a point, the score was once again tied, 6-6.
Sibley continued to loiter around, but the Clippers left the Wolverines in the rubble with a six-point spurt that included a Waldron kill, an Ava Hahn ace tip and a Connor kill for a 22-15 advantage.
Sibley East scored the next four, but a Waldron kill put the Clippers up 23-19, and the game ended 25-21 when Greta Hahn sent the ball just over the net and down to the floor.
Scoring 11 of the first dozen points in game two, the Clippers never glanced backwards and, after a Waldron attack and a Wolverine hit out of bounds for points 24 and 25, won 25-12.
Game three was similar with the Clipper scoring 10 out of the first 14 points. It ended 25-17 on a Laci Hollerich kill.
Greta Hahn put up 32 set assists. Emma Sweere shoveled 18 digs. Ava Hahn excavated 13 digs. Savannah Meyer unearthed 11 digs. Greta Hahn scooped six digs, and Connor scraped five digs.
Waldron, Greta Hahn, Connor and Remiger each put up a block assist.
Ava Hahn let fly a trio of ace serves. Meyer, Connor and Sathoff each had a pair of ace serves.
It was the sixth match in three days for the Clippers, but Remiger said that she has been able to feed off the enthusiasm of her teammates.
“I’m a little tired, but the energy the team brings before every game pumps you up. I think we eat well too. We all have our pre-game rituals of what we eat and drink. For me, it’s a Bubbl’r and lots of Gatorade.”
The Clippers traveled to Alden 24 hours later for a conference showdown.
Safety vests were de rigueur for the varsity girls. They are, from L-R, front row: Greta Hahn, Chloe Anderson, Savannah Meyer and Ava Hahn. Back row: Melia Sathoff, Emma Sweere, Serena Remiger, Harley Connor, Laci Hollerich and Lexy Waldron.
The student section was a caution zone.
Lexy Waldron on the hit.
Harley Connor swings through a hit.
Ava Hahn slides the ball past a blocker.