State Tournament: Day 1 News and Notes
It was a great atmosphere on day one of the 2018 state tournament. The slate was clean for all teams entering the event with the top prize just three matches away. It is a chance to compete at the Xcel…
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Continue ReadingIt was a great atmosphere on day one of the 2018 state tournament. The slate was clean for all teams entering the event with the top prize just three matches away. It is a chance to compete at the Xcel Energy Center. Early matches got students out of school and into the stands. The bands were doing their thing to excite and entertain. With a full day of quarterfinal matches, the action on the court provided drama, great displays of individual will and skill, and terrific competitiveness among all teams that have advanced to the final weekend of play. Here are some notes as we head towards the semifinals on day two.
Class AAA
Five-Set Drama
In one of the most dramatic wins of the day, Stillwater rebounded in the fifth set to claim a close win over Shakopee to advance to Thursday’s semifinal round. After opening up the match with a convincing 25-15 first set win, the Ponies would take a 2-0 lead and switched sides one set from victory. The Sabers had other plans as they rallied to take the next two sets to create a winner-take-all fifth and final set. After Shakopee jumped out to an early lead Stillwater regrouped to take control and close it out 15-8. The Ponies’ leader was Reece Koehler (MB | 2019) with 17 kills and six blocks. The middle tandem of Koehler and Maddie Whittington (MB | 2020) was a difference maker at the net on both sides of the ball. The Sabers’ do-everything senior Rachel Kilkelly (OH | 2019) led Shakopee with 19 kills.
Top Seeds Cruise
Eagan, Champlin Park, and
Lakeville South
, the top-three class AAA seeds, all advanced to the semifinals with relative ease. As Eagan and
Lakeville South
needed four sets, Champlin Park won relatively quickly 3-0. The depth and experience of these teams did their job from the start with their opponents looking for answers for the multitude of weapons across the net. Top point scorers for the victors of these three matches includes Kennedi Orr (S/OPP | 2021) from Eagan with 17 kills, Emma Schmidt (OH | 2019) from Champlin Park earning 12 kills, and the sophomore Ava Moes (RS | 2021) from
Lakeville South
terminating 15 kills. Other top performers from these matches included Jasmine Weidemann (S | 2021) from
Lakeville South
with 39 assists, Alaina Bohrer (OH | 2019) from Edina with 15 kills, and Abigail Groeneweg (OH | 2019) and Ava Schmoll (Lib | 2019) from Forest Lake with 14 kills and 17 digs respectively. Eagan takes on Stillwater at 9am, while Champlin Park and
Lakeville South
will meet at 11am on Friday morning.
Class AA
KoMets’ Showcase
Some are saying that Kasson-Mantorville may have won the state title in their section final win a few days ago. That just might be true. The KoMets came out blazing on Thursday not giving St. Cloud Cathedral any room to develop rhythm or flow on their side of the net. Ms. Baden Volleyball finalist Peyton Suess (OH | 2019) led the state’s top-ranked class AA team with 19 kills on a .389 average while adding nine digs and four blocks. Freshman setter Maddie Converse (S | 2022) continues to play well beyond her years in running this potent offensive attack. She offered up 34 assists as teammate Caroline Braun (OH | 2019) put down six kills while reaching double-digit digs with 10.
Selbitschka’s Star Power
Cianna Selbitschka (OH | 2020) from North Branch is the real deal folks. She has all the tools and they were certainly on display in the Vikings’ come-from-behind win over Watertown-Mayer. She passed, she dug, and she took a lot of swings in showing her versatility with an array of shots. She has a ton of value to the North Branch team as she loaded them on her back as they climbed a difficult hill to take this hard-fought match. Down 0-2 with W-M in control, the Vikings stabilized their ball control and started finding ways to score in set three, eventually putting the Royals on their heels. Rallying to tie the match at 2-2, Selbitschka opened up set five with a handful of kills to help her squad maintain the momentum. They were able to close it out 15-8. She finished the match with 34 kills in hitting .282 while adding 31 digs and four blocks. They face another big test as they next take on Kasson-Mantorville at 5pm on Thursday while seeking a return to the state championship match for the second consecutive year. Watertown-Mayer’s super sophomore Paige Thibault (OH | 2021) provided a great overall effort with 20 kills and 22 digs.
Class A
Upset Central
Unseeded Medford (28-5) provided the biggest news of the day as they took down the #2 seed and two-time defending champion Mayer Lutheran in five sets. After opening up the match with a solid set-one win by the score of 25-18, Mayer Lutheran bounced back to take the next two. However, Medford would not be denied as they dominated set four to force the decisive fifth set. This one was a roller coaster with each team jockeying for control from the midpoint of the set. The Tigers would prevail 19-17 in what many may have thought would be an unlikely outcome given the stark contrast in program histories and state tournament experience. Emma Kniefel (OH | 2020) had a big-time match with 21 kills while hitting .241 and collecting nine digs. Teammate Morgan Langelslag (S | 2020) dished out 52 assists. Maybe the most impressive display came from Medford’s scrappy style of defense to transition, which was led by their libero Kiley Nihart (Lib | 2020). She was so steady in the back row defensively in collecting 18 digs and in providing three service aces. Even when the ball control would be challenged she and her fellow passers were able to recover quickly so as to not let the match get out of reach. Medford’s next opponent will be Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa, an easy 3-0 winner in their first-round match. Mayer Lutheran was led by the 16 kills from Claudia Stahlke (RH | 2020) and the 16 digs by Morgan Chmielewski (DS | 2021).