Chargers inch way past Springfield

By JEN SEAVEY

Journal Sports Editor

NEW ULM -- Minnesota Valley Lutheran's 23-25, 25-12, 27-29, 25-19 and 15-6 win over Springfield Thursday had the air of a playoff game in the teams' first Tomahawk conference match.

"I had a feeling coming in that it would be a five-game match," Springfield coach Lincoln Robinson said.

"After coming off the loss with BOLD, a win was immensely needed," MVL's Eva Voss said. She had 13 kills and four ace blocks "Two in a row would have slowed us down."

That almost became a reality with an intense Springfield team.

In Game 3, the Tigers clawed their way back from a 13-5 deficit to eventually edge the Chargers 29-27. Naomi Timm had an ace hit and Brianne Hoyt had an ace tip to start it off, then with Katlin McNutt serving, the Tigers went on a nine-point scoring streak, including two ace serves. The Tigers caught MVL at 21 and traded points until MVL had a double hit and Krystal Schwanke had an ace block to put it away.

"Coming into the game, we wanted tenacity," Robinson said. "We wanted to make MVL work for every point."

Schwanke had six ace hits, five ace blocks and eight service points, and Hoyt had 14 set assists with four ace tips. McNutt had 14 service points and two ace serves. Timm had 15 digs.

Although Springfield came back to win, coach Lincoln Robinson said that giving points away early will come back to haunt the Tigers.

"We've got to be able to play at a consistent level all the time," he said. "We don't want those peaks and valleys. But I'm proud of the way they came back."

The Tigers had opened the match with a narrowly won game. They came out ahead early, and gave up the lead for a time when MVL's Angie Ristow had an ace serve, then won 25-23.

However, the Tigers fell apart in the second game as the Chargers gained steam. Eva Voss made it 13-10 with a well placed ace hit in the back corner, and the Tigers began to stall. To end the game, Karissa Kramer had three ace serves -- one of the Charger's 20 aces -- before Voss smashed a kill on the line for the 25-12 win.

Kramer had 14 kills, five digs and five ace serves.

Ring said that the aces, which figured significantly into Game 5, were not a fluke.

"That was so cool," she said. "Coach has been working with us a lot on spots and getting key serves."

In the fifth game, Nicki Flygare alone had three ace serves, nearly all in a row, and Stephanie Reagles added another. Then, with Reagles serving, the Tigers hit the last two out to end the match.

Flygare had 11 kills and five ace serves. Reagles had six digs and four aces.

"[It was] the confidence we had in ourselves to really finish," Ring said. Ring had 23 set assists and five ace serves. "We felt we could really dominate and keep the momentum on our side."

Bri Czer had eight kills, and Angie Ristow had 12 set assists.

Alissa Domeier and Tori Jones each had six ace hits, Amanda Lipetzky had eight service points, an ace serve and seven set assists.

The Chargers (2-1) is at Wabasso Monday, and Springfield (1-1) plays at the Luverne tournament Saturday.

BLH 3, Wabasso 1

BUFFALO LAKE -- Buffalo-Lake-Hector defeated Wabasso 25-13, 25-14, 21-25, 25-15, in girls volleyball Thursday.

For BLH, Brigetta Hammer had eight kills, one set assist and four blocks. Leah Ashburn had 29 kills and two blocks and Sam Broderius had 36 set assists and two blocks.

For Wabasso, Jessica Dallmann had 17 set assists, Katie Schumacher had nine kills and two blocks, and Andrea Fennern had 15 digs.

BLH is at the Apple Valley tournament Saturday, and Wabasso is at the Lester Prairie tournament.

NUC 3, Cedar Mountain 1

MORGAN -- In four games, New Ulm Cathedral sealed the match against the Cedar Mountain Cougars 26-14, 25-19, 17-25, 25-22 in a Tomahawk conference volleyball match Thursday.

The Greyhounds never let up, but the Cougars showed life and won the third game. The Cougars were close in the fourth game, but in the end, came up short.

For Cathedral, Catherine Miheve had 19-of-23 serves with 15 points and three aces, nine ace hits, and four blocks. Chelsey Hillesheim went 19-of-20 serving with 12 points, five ace hits, and four blocks. Chelsey Beranek had 13 set assists, Erin Schugel had 15 assists and Alaina Rasmussen had two blocks.

For the Cougars, Kelly Gewerth had 12 set assists and two aces, Nicole Kalkhoff had eight set assists, and Amanda Hoffbeck had 23 digs and five blocks. Also for the Cougars, Katie Gewerth had 20 digs and eight aces, and Megan Madsen had nine kills and five blocks.

The Greyhounds (2-0 in Tomahawk) will play St. Mary's in Sleepy Eye Monday.

Sleepy Eye 3,

McLeod West 0

BROWNTON -- Sleepy Eye defeated McLeod West 25-17, 27-25, 25-18 in Tomahawk Conference volleyball Thursday.

For Sleepy Eye, Allie Renberg had 12 kills and four blocks, Courtney Hammerschmidt had 33 set assists and 10 digs, and Jessie Zuhlsdorf had 10 digs and 11 kills.

Amy Paul for McLeod West had four kills and four tips, Kelly Loncorich had three kills, Nikki Schlueter had three kills and four digs, and Brittany Ribar had 17 set assists and one kill.

Both teams will play next at the Sleepy Eye Tournament Saturday.