Blossoms move on with a win
Published 9:14 pm Monday, October 25, 2010
Blooming Prairie’s Kristin Hagan makes a hit against the defense of L/P’s Ann Rysavy in BP Monday. The Awesome Blossoms ended L/P’s season and will play at Hayfield Thursday. -- Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
BLOOMING PRAIRIE — The Awesome Blossoms had trouble getting started in each game, but once they got going they were in total control in a three-game sweep of Lyle/Pacelli in a first round Section 1A West Division volleyball match Monday.
No. 6 seeded BP (11-17 overall) led just 10-6 early in the first two games and it only led 8-7 early in the third game but it finished with wins of 25-7, 25-9, 25-12.
“In the timeouts we just talked about how we need to pick it up and get focused,” said BP senior hitter Kristin Hagen, who had eight kills and eight digs. “It was like practice almost and we wanted to work on our offense and getting it more precise.”
Lyle/Pacelli’s Ann Rysavy defends the net on a hit by Blooming Prairie’s Kayla Wobschall in BP Monday. -- Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
BP’s Rachel Klemmensen served eight straight points to break open the first game and Jenna Krell, who had six aces on the night, served the last six points of the third game.
The Blossoms’ biggest struggle came with getting used to a slower tempo.
“It’s hard when the pace is slower than you’d like it to be,” BP head coach Gina McLaughlin said. “We had to make sure we were still covering and doing work.”
No. 11 seeded L/P (2-26 overall) scored the first four points of game three, but couldn’t keep it up.
L/P Jamie Zielke was pleased with how her squad progressed throughout the season.
“We saw a lot of improvements and we’ve been hustling and moving our feet lately,” she said. “Hopefully that will carry over to next season.”
BP will now travel to No. 3 Hayfield Thursday at 7 p.m. The Vikings (15-11 overall) swept BP in both meetings during the regular season.
“Hayfield will be tough but we’re certainly hoping to shake things up,” McLaughlin said. “The kids see it as a possibility.”
Hagen was one of five BP seniors playing in their last match in BP.
“It’s exciting that we’re still going on but it’s sad that it’s our last game in this gym,” she said.
BP stats: Whitney Burt, 10 kills, 2 digs; Kristin Hagen, 8 kills, 1 ace, 8 digs, 1 block; Yasmine Smith, 4 kills, 5 aces, 5 digs, 2 blocks; Janelle Morem, 1 kill; Marissa Noble, 21 assists, 1 ace; Rachel Klemmensen, 3 aces, 2 digs; Allyson Grunklee, 6 aces; Kayla Wobschall, 1 ace, 1 block
L/P stats: Alena Kritzer, 1 ace; Ann Rysavy, 3 digs, 1 kill; Paige Smith, 3 assists; Dani Felten, 5 kills; Jennie Marx, 2 kills
