Mabel Canton Jrs. Bounce Back after High School Season
Mabel Canton Jrs. showed up to the National Volleyball Center for the first club tournament this past Saturday with something to prove. They had an extremely successful 2019 high school season but it ended in disappointment with a loss…
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Continue ReadingMabel Canton Jrs. showed up to the National Volleyball Center for the first club tournament this past Saturday with something to prove. They had an extremely successful 2019 high school season but it ended in disappointment with a loss to rival Medford (one of only 2 losses) It seemed all season long, they had what it would take to advance to the state tournament but couldn’t quite finish. Losing in in five close sets during the semi-final match can be very deflating to a team, but when they stepped back on the court this weekend they looked like a state-qualifying team.
The tournament was really a small taste of what they are capable of this season. With less than 10 teams at the NVC event, they plowed their way through the competition. In pool play, they took down Southern Minnesota Volleyball ‘s 17-1’s. It took them awhile to get into a rhythm in the second set as SMV started to take back momentum. They finished with consistent serving and fewer mistakes to win 27-25.. Top players in this match-up included: Hannah LaBonte (Lake City/SMV) and Payton Danielson (Mabel Canton).
Next up, they had to play a strong Matrix 18’s team from Wisconsin. This proved to be their toughest match-up for the day. Tough serving and a well balanced offense led Matrix to an early win 27-25 in set one. MC responed with a dominant performance taking set two 25-15. Abby Torgerson and Jordyn Newgard both established the MC offense leading into the final set. The teams battled back and forth in the third set. The Matrix players gave it their best effort led by Jordan Klima, Ashley Zimmer, and Autumn Bremness. Mabel advanced to the gold bracket with a 15-13 victory.
The chemistry of this team was better than any others I saw that day. Playing club with your high school team definitely has its advantages. They also beat Dover Eyota Eagles 18-1 and then Eau Claire Patriots-18 before their rematch with Matrix.
The championship match gave Matrix an opportunity to avenge their previous loss, but MC proved to be too much to handle. Ultimately, their defense and smart hits and tips on offense gave Mable the edge over a strong team. They finished the day 25-17 and 25-17 and undefeated overall.