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Storm snaps Shakopee Missota winning streak at 39

By Eric Kraushar Chanhassen Villager, 09/08/11, 10:33PM CDT

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Volleyball: Missota win streak ends for Shakopee

Sarah Rasmussen probably couldn't remember what she was doing Sept. 21, 2005. Most likely because the Chanhassen senior was in sixth grade.

Rasmussen and the Storm halted history Thursday night, snapping Shakopee 's 39-match winning streak in the Missota Conference with a 3-2 win.

The Sabers, who won state championships in 2007, 2008 and 2009, last lost in the Missota almost six years ago to Northfield, 3-1. During the past five years, conference opponents have only taken five games and the last team to take Shakopee to five games was Hutchinson in October 2005.

All Rasmussen and Chanhassen coach Kelli Katherman could muster was "wow."

"It's just so exciting. We just played together as a team. We came out strong, and we had a rough patch, but we fought back in the end and we weren't letting that match go," said Rasmussen, who was a true defensive specialist, setting the tone in the back row for the Storm.

"We just started three years ago, so we don't even have that much history," Katherman said. " Shakopee is an extremely good team. I've watched some of their matches and they're just a really steady team. They just never go away."

It looked like it was going to be an easy victory for the Storm, who dominated the first two games 25-16 and 25-13. Chanhassen led 9-6, but the Sabers grabbed its first lead outside of 2-1 advantages in all three games at 11-10. The lead was relinquished only twice the rest of the way.

The Storm evened the score at 18 on back-to-back kills from Julianne Blomberg, who had 25 kills on the night. But Claire Sames and Carlee Hoppe put the finishing touches on game three with a 25-22 win.

Game four was all Shakopee , who jumped out to a 12-4 lead with Hoppe scoring three kills during the stretch. Things were going so well for the Sabers, four back row kills - two each from Sames and Hoppe - were recorded. Shakopee sent the match to five with a 25-18 win.

"I think every team has their ups and downs. We just said forget about it and move on," said Rasmussen about the talk before the final game.

The two teams went back-and-forth in game five with a Hoppe ace extending the lead to 7-5 for Shakopee . Chanhassen countered behind kills from Jill Entinger and Blomberg and took a 10-8 lead.

The two teams traded points until the Storm finished the match off by winning three of the final four points. A tip error out of bounds off the hand of Hoppe ended the match at 15-13.

"Being able to come out and top a team that has been here so many times is promising," Katherman said.

Both the coach and senior libero said Saturday's tournament in Eden Prairie , in which the Storm won four of five matches - three going the distance of three games - helped them in a big situation against a team with rich tradition.

"With a younger team, it's a learning experience. This past weekend really helped a lot. We learned to play in tight matches and how to stay aggressive," Rasmussen said.

"It was a great opportunity for us to see more vividly what type of team we can be. We see it here in practice, but until you stare across the net at your opponent, you can't really see your potential," the coach said. "To be up there with some of those good teams, it shows how far this program has come in such a short time."

Besides Blomberg's big match, which included five service aces and 15 digs, Entinger had 10 kills, while Ashley Entinger and Emily Zahn each had six.

Maddie Entinger had 44 set assists, while Rasmussen finished with a career-high 37 digs.

Chanhassen (6-1) hosts Willmar at 7 p.m. Monday.
 

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