By Chad Courrier
ST PETER — Kaitlin Braun jump-served Le Sueur-Henderson to a 14-1 lead in the first game, and Shelly Blaschko served the first nine points of Game 2.
Early leads were the key to the Giants’ 25-12, 25-17, 25-15 victory over New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva in the Section 2AA, South Subsection match Thursday at Gustavus Adolphus’ Gus Young Court.
“We served better than we did in the previous two matches,” LSH coach Dave Nixon said. “Kaitlin had a huge night serving, as did a few others.”
Braun’s jump serve produced three aces, and Morgan Meger made three kills as the Giants stormed to a 14-1 lead. Alyssa Kerkhoff served five points, with Anna Schlaak making a kill and block, as the Panthers pulled within 16-8, but Shelly Blaschko’s tip started the final 9-4 run, with Braun making the final kill.
“We started out strong in every game,” Blaschko said. “We put a lot of pressure on (NRHEG), and we got going.”
Blaschko served LSH to 9-0 lead in the second game, getting one ace, with Kim Kuechle making a kill and two blocks. NRHEG again answered as Alyssa Hagen made six kills and Schlaak added five kills as the margin closed to 22-17, but the game ended with a substitution error at 25-17.
“The early lead lets us play more loose,” Nixon said. “It puts pressure on the opponent, and maybe you get some easy points. But you have to finish up and not give away any easy points.”
The final game was more competitive early, but a 7-1 run, with Meger and Braun each making a kill, pushed LSH ahead. Kayle Maxon’s kill pulled NRHEG within 12-11, but Blachsko served eight straight points, with Kuechle making a kill and block in the run, to open the gap.
Braun took the serve for the last time, hitting two aces, as the Giants scored the final four points.
Meger finished with nine kills, one more than Kuechle, who also had three blocks. Gretta Schultz added seven kills, and Braun had six kills, one block and five ace serves. Tayler Kahlow made 17 digs. Blaschko had 28 assists and seven digs.
“We really have a balanced floor. We don’t have a go-to hitter,” Blaschko said. “I know I have multiple options so it’s hard to track us.”
The Giants totaled 10 service aces with only two errors.
For the Panthers (23-7), Hagen had 11 kills and Schlaak made seven. NRHEG had only two ace serves.
Le Sueur-Henderson (27-3) plays Hutchinson in the section championship at 7:45 p.m. Saturday at Gustavus Adolphus. LSH has only been to the state tournament once, that coming in 2006.
“It’s really, really exciting,” said Blaschko, who was a freshman reserve on the 2006 team. “I’ve seen what it takes, and I know the feeling we had (in 2006), the girls were all so pumped up.”
