SLEEPY EYE — Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s offense was in good rhythm as it swept Nicollet 25-16, 25-15, 25-10 in a non-conference volleyball game Monday at St. Mary’s High School. Ta.
“It helps us have positive feelings about everything.” Kari Hoffman, St. Mary’s head coach. “And it gave us confidence back in ourselves and knowing that we are a good team and that we can work hard and come out with a win at the end of the day.”
Reese Hoffman led the Knights with 11 kills, but left early in the third set with a right ankle injury. Reese Hoffman is one of Saint Mary’s top offensive weapons, but coach Hoffman said the team is ready to step up to cover her absence due to injury.
“Our girls did a good job of still being strong and sticking with that idea.” Director Hoffman said so. “What we often talked about is that true champions are the ones who persevere and are able to adapt no matter what happens.”
Jennica Schlopfer added eight kills and Amelia Schwartz had four kills for St. Mary’s. For the Knights, Josie Helget had 31 set assists, Natalie Fisher had 13 goals and Addie Hoffman had eight goals.
Leah Board led the Raiders with five kills and six digs, and Kaitlyn Soost had three kills. Savannah Klockziem scored 12 goals and Mia Lambrecht had four set assists.
The first set was even from the start, with St. Mary’s holding a 4-3 lead before going on a 9-1 run, highlighted by a kill and a block from Schlopfer. Nicolette fought back with an unanswered 3-pointer, starting with a kill by Kamryn Trubenbach, and cut the lead to 13-7. Both teams traded serves, and the Knights defeated the Raiders 5-2, 20-14, with a strong serve from Addi Hoffman to end the set.
St. Mary’s took a 5-3 lead early in the second set, forcing Nicolet to take a timeout. Nicolet stayed within three points at 9-6 on a Klockziem kill, but St. Mary’s went on a 12-3 run as Helget spread the ball to Schlopfer, Kylee Nelson, Amelia Schwartz and Fisher for the 21. They led by -9. For the sake of killing. Nicolette fought back with a trio of board kills and an ace from Kayson Forbrook to make the score 24-15, but Reese Hoffman ended the set with a spike kill.
Reese Hoffman left the third set with the score tied at 2-2. The teams stayed within one point until a block by Helget gave the Knights a 10-8 lead and a 10-0 run to take a 17-8 lead. St. Mary’s continued to control the match with aces from Fisher and Morgan Mathiowetz, and took the set ahead with a kill from Schwartz.
St. Mary’s (12-9-1) travels to face Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop on Tuesday. Nicollet (2-19) hosts New Richland-Heartland-Ellendale-Geneva on Monday.