Volleyball: Storm place second at EP Invitational

In year No. 3 of Chanhassen High School, the program continues to experience "firsts."

Saturday in the Eden Prairie Invitational, the Storm volleyball three times had a chance at notching another first - a tournament championship.

Playing the Class AAA No. 8-ranked host Eagles, Chanhassen had match point three times in the second game, but Eden Prairie fought off elimination and eventually won the set 31-29. The Eagles won game three 15-9 to claim the title for the fourth time in the past five years.

Bloomington Jefferson, which was not in the field this year, won the 2010 championship 2-1 over Eden Prairie .

Chanhassen (5-1) had to work to reach the finals, posting thrilling come-from-behind wins over Waconia 22-25, 25-14 and 25-12 and North St. Paul 18-25, 25-18 and 15-12 in pool play.

The Storm also beat Class A No. 3-ranked Mayer Lutheran 27-25, 25-18, and a much improved Minnetonka squad, 25-20 and 26-24 in pool play.

In the championship match, the Storm were able to finish off the first game, winning 26-24. They had three chances to win in game two, but lost 31-29 with the final point coming off a kill from Sarah Wilhite, who recently verbaled to play at the University of Wisconsin.

The final point was delayed more than seven minutes after the lights went out.

Eden Prairie broke open the final game, reversing a 6-5 deficit into a 11-6 lead and eventually won 15-9. Wilhite led the match with 20 kills, while teammate Ellen Piechowski had 16 kills.

Julianne Blomberg led the Storm with 11 kills. Jill Entinger added 10 kills, while Keagan Kinsella had seven kills and three solo blocks.

Earlier in the day against Mayer, the Storm had to rally late in game one for the lead. Trailing 22-19, Chanhassen scored four straight points - the final one on a Blomberg kill - for the first advantage of the match.

The two teams locked up at 25 with Blomberg giving the Storm the lead for good with a kill. A hitting error into the net by a Crusader hitter ended game one at 27-25.

Blomberg served the final four points for the game-two victory 25-18. Kinsella had a big stretch, knocking down three kills and a solo block to help the Storm pull ahead midway through the game.

Against Minnetonka (5-4), which went 2-3 on the day and placed seventh, Chanhassen outscored the Skippers 12-7 down the stretch for the 25-20 win on a Blomberg kill in game one.

Minnetonka played the Storm in game two, but a kill from Entinger on a quick set in the middle proved to be the winning point at 26-24.

Chanhassen hosts Shakopee in the Missota Conference opener at 7 p.m. Thursday.
 

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Date Posted: 09.04.2011

Source:Eric Kraushar - Chanhassen Villager

 

Schools:ChanhassenEden Prairie