Nov. 10—ST. PAUL — Four seniors lead a deep New London-Spicer volleyball team that is getting key contributions from its sophomores and freshmen.
Together, they have brought the Wildcats back to the state Class AA tournament for a third year in a row.
Advertisement
NLS enters as the fourth seed and plays fifth-seeded Dover-Eyota in the Class AA quarterfinals at 1 p.m. Thursday at Grand Casino Arena.
Other quarterfinal matches feature top-seeded New Life Academy versus eighth-seeded East Grand Forks, second-seeded Southwest Christian vs. No. 7 Watertown-Mayer and third-seeded Minnewaska vs. sixth-seeded Rush City.
“This is what we’ve been working towards all season,” Wildcats senior Brooke Barney said.
NLS is in the state tournament for the seventh time. It also made it in ’25, ’24, ’09, ’98, ’95 and ’93.
It’s been quite the three-year run for the Wildcats, who arguably have one of their deepest squads.
Advertisement
They have a 26-1 record, which is the most victories the Wildcats have had in a season since they were 27-3 in 2019.
NLS was 17-12 and 18-9-1 in the last two years. Both of those seasons ended with an 0-2 record at the state tournament.
“I think everyone plays for each other; last year was more individual,” Wildcats senior Addie Olson said. “This year we all are doing it for each other and we’re putting in the work for each other because we want to succeed as a team.”
Barney, Olson, Ezri Boelter and Susannah Danielson are the seniors who lead the way for the Wildcats.
Barney is a libero who anchors NLS’ back row. Olson is a standout outside hitter. Boelter is a setter who distributes the ball well. Danielson is a reliable middle hitter.
Advertisement
Also key are sophomores Kennedy Goracke (outside hitter), Reagan Regnier (defensive specialist) and Korbin Tanner (right-side/middle hitter) and freshman Harper Olness (middle/outside hitter).
“This group of young ladies — from the seniors all the way down to the freshmen — they put all the work in the world to get to this point,” NLS head coach Andy Regnier said. “I couldn’t be prouder.”
They are seeking NLS’ first victory at a state tournament since 1998.
That year the Wildcats went 2-1 and won the state consolation championship.
“We’ve done so much to get here,” Olson said. “It’s been a great season.”
Advertisement
Olson and the Wildcats have been ranked fourth in Class AA by the Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association for most of the year.
No. 1 New Life Academy, No. 2 Southwest Christian, No. 3 Minnewaska, No. 8 Rush City and No. 9 Dover-Eyota are also ranked teams in the state tournament.
“I’m looking forward to playing the best in the state on a big stage; we’re not going there just to celebrate being there,” Andy Regnier said. “We’re going there to try and win the dang thing.”
Minnewaska is in the state tournament for the first time.
It plays Rush City in the state Class AA quarterfinals at 3 p.m. Thursday at Grand Casino Arena.
Advertisement
No team enters the state tournament with a longer winning streak than the Lakers, who have won 18 straight.
Minnewaska (30-1) has only lost to Southwest Christian.
It was a shortened tournament match at the Class AA Showcase in Burnsville.
A large senior class highlighted by Emma Hellermann, Avery Lewison, Haillie Schulz and Brooklyn Noyes leads the way for the Lakers.
Berlynn Green and Mya VanLuik are key in the junior class for Minnewaska and head coach Mitch McGuire. So are Piper Barsness and Taylor Schulz in the sophomore class.
Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa, which finished third in the Class A tournament last season, is back for the school’s ninth state berth in its history.
Advertisement
Belgrade also made state in 1984.
BBE (20-8) is the sixth seed and faces third-seeded Mayer Lutheran in the state Class A quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Thursday at Grand Casino Arena.
Other quarterfinal matches are top-seeded Minneota vs. eighth-seeded Pine River-Backus, second-seeded Fillmore Central vs. seventh-seeded Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s and fourth-seeded Sacred Heart versus fifth-seeded Chisholm.
Mayer Lutheran (19-12) is the defending state champion.
Holly Breitbach is in her first year as head coach for a Jaguars team led by three seniors: Kamie Fischer, Teagan Dingmann and Mya Worms.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
