NICOLLET — The St. Clair volleyball team has been a pesky opponent for Nicollet this season. The Cyclones erased a two-game deficit to the Raiders earlier this season to force a Game 5, which they only lost by two points.
But Monday, when Kayla Wenner leaped and pounded her match-high 14th kill into the hardwood inside the Raiders’ gym, the sophomore allowed no chance for another Cyclones comeback as the second-seeded Raiders won the Section 2A South Subsection semifinal match 3-0.
Game scores were 25-19, 25-20, 25-21.
“I was kind of hoping to get that last one,” said Wenner of her match-winning kill.
Nicollet senior Jenna Mettler added 13 kills in the win, and the duo of her and Wenner was tough for the Cyclones to stop.
“Our middles run a lot of fakes,” said Nicollet coach Judy Radke. “And I don’t think anyone can stop Kayla or Jenna with one blocker.”
St. Clair coach Becky Wilfahrt knew what the Raiders’ attackers were capable of, and stopping them was the Cyclones’ focal point.
“We started out doing a much better job blocking Mettler,” Wilfahrt said. “I think Wenner played a much better game tonight, and I think she’s the hitter that won it for them.”
Wenner’s 14 kills came on only 28 attacking attempts, and she connected on a couple of kills late in Game 3 to bring the momentum back to the Raiders’ side. Nicollet trailed Game 3 21-19 when Judy Radke called a timeout, igniting a 6-0 Raiders run to end the match.
“She just said have fun and smile,” said Wenner of the timeout. “We just needed to keep hustling because sometimes we do let down in that third game.”
The Cyclones led early in Game 1 as they used a couple of nice blocks at the net to built a 10-5 lead before Nicollet used a timeout. The breather worked well for the Raiders again as they went on an 8-1 run and an eventual 16-6 run to take command of the opening game.
Anna Skrien led the Raiders with 27 digs and Mettler added 19. Taylor Meurer had 46 assists and Erin Radke had four blocks.
Megan Beetch led St. Clair with 12 kills, and Nicole Dorn and Amy Jo Cords each had seven. Danielle Embacher had 32 assists and Chelsea Schull added 13 digs.
Nicollet (27-3) faces top-seeded Martin County West at 6 p.m. Thursday at New Ulm High School for the South Subsection championship. The Raiders lost to the Mavericks in a five-game match earlier this season.
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