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SECTION 3A VOLLEYBALL: Vikings move on with 3-1 win over Rabbits

Photo by Jenny Kirk Members of the Minneota Vikings celebrate after a point during their Section 3A match against Wabasso. The Vikings won the match 3-1.

MARSHALL - Coming into the Section 3A-North Championship on Thursday at Southwest Minnesota State University, top-seeded Minneota had only lost four sets all season, including its lone defeat – a two-set loss in the Southwest Minnesota Challenge on Sept. 8 in Marshall.

After taking the first set against second-seeded Wabasso on Thursday, the Vikings then dropped their fifth set of the year. But Minneota (32-1) proved why it’s the No. 1 ranked Class A team in the state as they got back on track and closed out the match with a 3-1 victory (25-13, 13-25, 25-15, 25-16).

“I’m feeling so happy right now,” Vikings setter Morgan Kockelman said. “We knew that was going to be a tough game going in. Wabasso is really good. I have to give a lot of credit to the hitter and passers – from their side and our side. I think that our hitters and our passers really stepped up, especially after that second set. We really battled back after that.”

With a high-energy crowd, both teams came out ready to compete. Minneota kept a slight advantage for most of the first set, but the powerhouse could not shake loose from the Rabbits. Amanda Hoffman and Jenna Frank combined for an ace block to help Wabasso tie the set at 7-7.

Minneota earned the next four points on a kill apiece from Morgan Hennen and Lizzy Gillingham, along with two kills from Lydia Sussner.

A kill from Natalee Rolbiecki and a Rabbit error forced Wabasso to take a timeout, with the score at 17-10. Another kill from Gillingham pushed the Vikings’ lead to 21-11. Kills from Gillingham and Sussner helped close out the first set 25-13.

Gillingham continued to be a force at the net, contributing a kill to give Minneota a 4-1 lead in the second set. But Wabasso rallied back to tie the set at 10-10 when its opponent passed too close to the net and Kockelman was called for a back-row block. A Vikings error gave the Rabbits their first lead in the match.

Hoffman and Maddy Guetter combined to record two ace blocks and Guetter hammered three straight kills to the floor as Wabasso took a 19-10 advantage. A Kockelman tip stopped the surge for Minneota.

Cora Eichten collected a kill to get the Rabbits to a score of 22-12 and eventually close out the set 25-13.

“I feel really good about the match, besides losing,” Wabasso coach Barb Johnson said. “I thought the girls came out and played really hard, took a set from them and even at the end, they kept playing and fighting for it. I’m very proud of them.”

Both teams played excellent volleyball in the third set, with neither being able to get more than two points ahead. Kills from Sussner and Sydney Larson gave Minneota the first four-point lead at 13-9. Rolbiecki and Gillingham put up strong offensive attacks and helped the Vikings gain a 19-12 lead.

“We just decided to put that second set behind us – forget about that,” Abby Hennen said. “We all knew that wasn’t Minneota volleyball. And we just stuck together and kept being positive, tried to mix it around to our hitter and have everyone score.”

Hennen, who had an outstanding performance in the back row, called the match a “big win.”

“After the second set, they played amazing,” she said. “They dug up every ball. Everyone was trying hard on our side, but we couldn’t get anything to fall down. It was good that we stayed together, kept it together and came back in the third and fourth set. That was huge.”

The fourth set was back and forth with neither team getting more than a one-point edge until a controversial antennae call gave Minneota a 12-10 lead. A kill from Sussner pushed the Viking lead to 14-10, forcing Wabasso to take a timeout.

The Rabbits put up a valiant effort, but were not able to get back on top of the Vikings, losing the fourth set 25-16.

“I give Wabasso a lot of credit,” Minneota Coach Hayley Fruin said. “They definitely came fired up and ready to go. You feel bad for a team like that. Obviously, we’re both deserving to make it further than this, but it’s just the way our section is. I give our kids a lot of credit, too. We got pushed and we stuck together and fought hard.”

Guetter finished the contest with 17 kills, while Eichten and McKenna Nelson had five apiece. Jenna Frank chipped in 33 set assists. Megan Rothmeier added 34 digs for the Rabbits. Hoffman tallied seven ace blocks, while Guetter had six. Nelson led the team with two ace serves.

“Maddy guetter is an amazing hitter,” Abby Hennen said. “She’s going to Augustana. She deserves that 100 percent. Digging one of her balls feels pretty good.”

Wabasso loses five seniors to graduation.

“I think all of them have been on varsity since ninth or 10th grade, so that part’s hard,” Johnson said. “It’ll be different without them next year.”

Minneota advances to take on Section 3A-South second seed Adrian at 6 p.m. Saturday at Southwest Minnesota State University.

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