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Class 3A: Moorhead joins semifinal round with 5-set win over Champlin Park; Lakeville North, Eagan, Prior Lake advance

By JIM PAULSEN, Star Tribune, 11/09/17, 1:00PM CST

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The semifinals will pit the Spuds against Lakeville North while Eagan will take on Prior Lake.


Prior Lake's Haley Stolt (17) sent the ball over the net as Hopkins' Tara Lee (13) and Nicole Klass (8) leapt to defend. Click on photo to see more. Photo: ANTHONY SOUFFLE • anthony.souffle@startribune.com

Looking for their first victory in the volleyball quarterfinals since 1996, the Spuds rallied to defeat undermanned Champlin Park in the tightest match of the 3A quarterfinals, 25-18, 14-25, 17-25, 25-21, 15-9.

Champlin Park, the tournament’s No. 3 seed, played without two top players who were suspended for one match after outcry at the school about social media posting criticized as racially inappropriate. The players spent the match on the bench in street clothes.

“We pushed it to five. A lot of the girls played a different role, but they played really hard,’’ Champlin Park coach John Yunker said. “I’m proud of the whole team.”

Moorhead won the first set, but Champlin Park rallied to win the next two.

“I was really proud of the way that stepped into our new role and that everybody stepped up,” junior setter Izzy Ashburn said. “Some people led a little bit more than usual and it was really exciting to see.”

Moorhead, which had lost in the first round in its seven previous tournament appearances, rallied in the fourth set to tie the match.

“We got a little shook after that second game,” said Moorhead coach Char Lien. “We started playing too hard. We just told them to stay within themselves and good things would probably happen.”

The Spuds, hitting aggressively and changing up their service attack, found holes in the Champlin Park defense in the deciding fifth set and pulled away.

“In the fifth set, we were believing in each other and coming in as a team,” outside hitter Brook Carney said.

 


Lakeville North shuts down Stillwater


Lakeville North High School's Amelia Wherland (3) set the ball. Photo: Anthony Souffle, Star Tribune

After a season of physically demanding practices, what Lakeville North was asked to do in its three-set victory over Stillwater seemed easy.

The Panthers shut down Stillwater’s attack, holding the Ponies to just an .018 attack percentage, and cruised to a 25-22, 25-14, 25-19 victory.

“I thought our defense was incredibly tough,” Panthers coach Sherri Alm said. “What’s been exciting is that they’re willing to get hit by really hard balls and go for some tough balls.”

The bumps and bruises suffered in practice became badges of honor as the season wore on.

“It’s lot more rewarding to get [the ball] up and get hit really hard than to let it go out,” said setter Amanda Burger. “I’ll take the bruise over not getting the ball up.”


Tourney favorite Eagan ramps it up against Forest Lake


Forest Lake's Clara Olson (16) looked to send the ball back against Eagan. Photo: Anthony Souffle, Star Tribune

Two-time defending champion Eagan trailed Forest Lake, which was making its first state tournament appearance in 15 years, 6-1 early in the first set. Was an upset brewing?

No. The Wildcats settled down and swept the Rangers, rallying to win the first set 25-21 and then cruising through the next two, 25-12, 25-16 to move on to the Class 3A semifinals for the fifth consecutive year.

“I think it was a little bit of nerves,” Eagan coach Kathy Gillen. “I don’t think it matters how many times you’ve been here.It’s just the atmosphere. It’s a special place to play. The kids are awestruck at first.”

After their initial refrain, the Wildcats dominated the second and third sets, with attack percentages above 40 in each.

“From the first set to the second, we just changed what we were doing on our side of the net to fight back,” Eagan junior Ellie Husemann said.

For Forest Lake, a first-round match against the favorites and a quick exit from the championship bracket did little to dampen enthusiasm for making the state tournament field.

“You wouldn’t design that plan, but at the same time, it’s an opportunitiy as well,” Forest Lake coach Sherri Alm said


Gritty defender McGraw leads Prior Lake past Hopkins


Prior Lake's Katie Brostrom (22) sent the ball over the net as Hopkinsl's Nicole Klass (8) leapt to defend. Photo: Anthony Souffle, Star Tribune

C.C. McGraw is not a big hitter. In fact, not a hitter at all. She doesn’t set, although she can. What the Prior Lake senior does better than anyone else in the state is defend. And she’s so good, teams scheme to avoid her, which is a difficult task indeed.

So it was for Hopkins. The Royals had an attack planned, all dedicated to hitting away from McGraw.

Easier said than done.

With McGraw repeatedly reviving points that seemed destined to go against her team, Prior Lake swept Hopkins in three sets, advancing to Friday’s Class 3A semifinals with a 25-22, 25-20, 25-21 quarterfinals victory.

“We wanted to go away from C.C. McGraw and the two-third of the court she covers,” Hopkins coach Vicki Swenson said. “Certainly not force it away from her, but if you can...”

For the most part, they couldn’t. With McGraw, Haley Stolt and Katie Brostrom digging well and passing with precision, the Lakers generated a .273 kill percentage as a team, impressive given Hopkins’ defensive mindset.

“Hopkins plays great defense, so we knew there would be some long rallies,” Prior Lake coach Mike Dean said. “Our girls just tried to stay focused and control our side of the ball.”

Control that starts with McGraw, who will take her defensive skills to the University of Minnesota next season. Those skills, she said, are the result of a life spent on a volleyball court.

“Honestly, it’s just experience,” McGraw said. “I’ve been playing this for so long. My ability to read the game and anticipate the ball are pretty critical.”
A little want-to doesn’t hurt, either.

“And I have a lot of grit,” she said. “I never want to give up on balls.”


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