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Eagan flawless in rout over Cretin-Derham Hall

By Trevor Squire, SportsEngine, 11/05/16, 7:00AM CDT

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The Wildcats bounced the Raiders 3-0 to win the Class 3A, Section 3 Final.




The top-ranked Eagan Wildcats completed a straight sweep through the Class 3A, Section 3 playoffs, capped by a 3-0 win over Cretin-Derham Hall on Saturday. Photo by Trevor Squire, SportsEngine



Eagan coach Kathy Gillen has a custom of staying seated during games unless she absolutely needs the attention of all her players. 

With an experienced lineup that returned every player from last year’s state championship team, Gillen feeds her in-game adjustments through her captains who relay the message to the players on the floor.

“Brie Orr and McKenna Melville are my little coaches within the team,” Gillen said. “They know what’s going on, so I just need to tell one of them what I want and they make the adjustment and it’s done.”
 
Gillen was likely comfy through the Class 3A, Section 3 playoffs as the top-seeded Wildcats didn’t surrender a set en route to their fourth-consecutive section championship following a 25-11, 25-17, 25-10 straight set sweep over No. 3 Cretin-Derham Hall Saturday night at Prior Lake High School.

“It’s always refreshing being (at the Xcel Energy Center) so I think it might be a little sad when I step on (the court),” senior All-American Brie Orr said, reflecting on her high school career nearing its end. “It won’t be too bad though because we got here. It’s a big deal either way and I’m glad to go out my senior season being at state.”

Ranked the top team in the Class 3A coaches’ poll, Eagan (28-1) was unbeaten through 31 games dating back to 2015 before falling to No. 2-3A Champlin Park in its final regular season game on Oct. 22.

Despite the loss, Gillen said her team, like most Eagan teams, has continued a tradition of steady play and just needed to fine-tune some aspects of their game to turn a few more points in their favor.

“I hate to say we needed a loss...but we needed a loss,” Gillen said. “It’s tough sometimes to keep the intensity, but this group has been one of the best, if not the best at staying at a high level.”

Eagan, with a newfound desire to prove itself as the best again, jumped out to a 11-2 lead in the opening set, fueled by eight-grader Kennedi Orr.

Kennedi set eight assists on that run for her team which features an abundance of strong hitters including Melville, a Missouri State commit, and Kennedi’s older sister, Brie who’s committed to the Iowa Hawkeyes.

“It’s such an amazing opportunity to have all these weapons this year,” Kennedi said. “It’s so fun playing with all these girls and it’s been a really good year so far.”

Kennedi finished the game with 24 assists while Brie led the Wildcats with 11 kills.

The Wildcats never let the No. 14-3A Raiders (19-6) get into an offensive groove by killing off rallies early and serving into soft-spots that forced Cretin-Derham Hall out-of-position.

“We knew for us to have a chance to win we had to stop that first rally-win. If we could get to three or four rallies we knew we’d have a chance,” Raiders coach Rick Kuehlwein said.

“If they get a chance to run their offense you’re gonna get in trouble so that was our goal to not give them an opportunity,” Gillen added.

For the Raiders, 6-foot-4 Kansas State commit Brynn Carlson was held to just two kills in the third set while the final frame was still even.

The Wildcats ran away with a 9-point run that the Orr sisters connected on three points for, ultimately clinching the set.

“I think we have a good connection,” Brie said of her sister. “We know what to say to each other and make everything work with us growing up together.”

Completing a perfect career in the section playoffs with her fourth state tournament appearance, Brie says this year was special returning for a final run.

Kennedi knows the days with her sister at home will be far-and-few-between once Brie graduates in December and heads to Iowa for the spring semester.

The sisters will likely want to extend their playing time together as long as possible having grown closer through playing on the same team.

“It’s sad. But we just got to stay in the moment right now and finish,” Kennedi said.

First Report

Top-seeded Eagan’s Brie Orr tallied 11 kills while sister Kennedi Orr posted 24 assists in a 25-11, 25-17, 25-10 straight set victory over No. 3 Cretin-Derham Hall Saturday evening in the Class 3A, Section 3 championship at Prior Lake High School.

Ranked No. 1 in the Class 3A coaches’ poll, the Wildcats (28-1) advance to the state tournament for a fourth-consecutive year.

Kennedi fueled a quick start for Eagan, totaling eight assists on Eagan’s 11-2 run to start the opening set and the Wildcats never skipped a beat the rest of the match.

Kansas State commit Brynn Carlson led the No. 14-3A Raiders (19-6) with a game-high 13 kills.

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