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Aggressiveness pushes Wayzata over Minnetonka in final set of rival matchup

By Luke Hanlon, SportsEngine, 11/10/20, 5:00PM CST

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Despite falling in the fourth set to the Skippers, the Trojans fought back in the fifth set to remain undefeated.

Wayzata's Stella Swenson (10) and Emma Goerger (26) come down after blocking a shot by Minnetonka's Morgan Rooney in the Trojans' five-set victory. Photo by Mark Hvidsten, SportsEngine

Wayzata's Stella Swenson (10) and Emma Goerger (26) come down after blocking a shot by Minnetonka's Morgan Rooney in the Trojans' five-set victory. Photo by Mark Hvidsten, SportsEngine

Wayzata's Ella Voegele stretched to return a serve during the Trojans' 3-2 victory over Minnetonka. Photo by Mark Hvidsten, SportsEngine

Wayzata's Ella Voegele stretched to return a serve during the Trojans' 3-2 victory over Minnetonka. Photo by Mark Hvidsten, SportsEngine

When a match gets decided in a winner-take-all fifth set, it’s natural to look back and think about what moments put one team over the top. 

There were many pivotal moments for defending Class 3A state champion Wayzata in its 23-25, 25-17, 25-22, 20-25, 15-9 victory over Minnetonka (8-2, 6-2) on Tuesday night, but maybe the most vital for the Trojans (10-0, 9-0) came late in the fourth set — a set they lost by five points.

“I think that the way we came back from the fourth set, we didn’t win it, but I thought we came back with momentum which we carried into the fifth set,” Wayzata freshman Stella Swenson said. 

The Trojans, ranked No. 1 in the Class 3A coaches’ poll, trailed the No. 7-3A Skippers 17-9 at one point in that fourth set, but Wayzata battled back to apply pressure to the Skippers and came away with a 15-9 victory in the decisive set to stay undefeated this season. 

In what Wayzata coach Scott Jackson described as his team’s “toughest test of the season thus far,” he was adamant that aggressiveness is what put his team over the edge tonight.

First Report

Wayzata’s undefeated season continues after a dramatic 23-25, 25-17, 25-22, 20-25, 15-9 triumph at home over Lake Conference rival Minnetonka on Tuesday night. 

The Skippers, ranked No. 7 in the Class 3A coaches’ poll, came out with a lot of energy and showed that they were going to be a tough test for the No. 1-3A Trojans as Minnetonka (8-2, 6-2) took a dramatic first set 25-23. 

The defending Class 3A state champion Trojans (10-0, 9-0) cruised through the second set and had a 12-3 lead midway through the third set, with the Skippers being completely outplayed. Minnetonka bounced back to narrow the score, however, before Wayzata took the set by three points. 

The Skippers came out strong in the fourth set and took a commanding 8-2 lead early. It was a lead they wouldn’t lose, although just like the Skippers did with the third set, the Trojans fought to make it a nervy ending. Minnetonka’s Kali Engeman secured the set with one of her match-high 17 kills, sending the contest to a fifth set. 

The Trojans won the fifth set with their size up front, as Emma Goerger and Kaelie Hainlin each had a couple blocks to come away with a set victory. Goerger had a game-high six blocks, while Hainlin added four blocks.

Minnetonka's Abby Stanwood (7) sent a shot to Wayzata's zone. Photo by Mark Hvidsten, SportsEngine

Minnetonka's Abby Stanwood (7) sent a shot to Wayzata's zone. Photo by Mark Hvidsten, SportsEngine

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