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There was no drama this year during the first round of the Minnesota State High School League Section 3AA subsection playoffs.
Pipestone Area Schools swept Fairmont by scores of 25-12, 25-23, 25-19 on Friday, Oct. 24, improving to 17-6 on the season.
“It means a lot to us,” PAS head volleyball coach Shelly Hennager said Monday. “It’s a big accomplishment, and I am proud of the girls for getting it done in three games. We controlled the whole match.”
Pipestone Area Schools’ Kailyn Burmeister (left) and Jadyn Kor both prepare to bump the ball during a Section 3AA south subsection match on Friday, Oct. 24, versus Fairmont. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
This marked the Arrows’ first playoff victory since the 2022 season when the squad reached the Class AA state tournament.
There was the added wrinkle of switching sides after every set, and that proved to be an adjustment.
“We weren’t used to it,” Hennager said regarding the wrinkle. “It was a little different.”
Hennager said the switch caused some communication errors during the second set, when Fairmont was its most competitive.
Pipestone Area Schools’ Taryn Tuinstra tips the ball over Fairmont’s defense during this Friday, Oct. 24, playoff volleyball match. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
During the playoffs, the MSHSL is requiring teams to switch after every set — which was how the sport was played up until the COVID-19 (coronavirus) season in the early 2020s.
“I thought Fairmont served well,” Hennager said of the Cardinals best attribute during the match.
However, the Arrows were ready. Kailyn Burmeister, Jadyn Kor, Kaysa Douty and Taryn Tuinstra were all up to the task with several strong “first passes.”
In turn, senior Carmen Wiese and sophomore produced 23 of PAS’ 24 assists.
Pipestone Area Schools’ Carmen Wiese sets the ball while Brynn Schulze watches during a Section 3AA South subsection game on Friday, Oct. 24 at PAS Gymnasium. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
The Arrows won 12 of the first 17 points of the match, culminating in Emersyn Smidt’s kill over the Cardinals attempted front-row block.
Kaysa Douty and Brynn Schulze put up a double block combination to give PAS the first set. This highlight may be found on the Star’s Facebook page.
Avery Reinhard gets a set on the ball during a Section 3AA South subsection match versus Fairmont dated Friday, Oct. 24 at PAS Gymnasium. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
Fairmont pushed PAS in the second set; however, the Arrows still won by the required two points.
The Cardinals also forged ahead in the third set, winning the first five points. However, the Arrows slowly but steadily chipped away at the advantage.
The score was deadlocked several times until PAS pulled away thanks to Douty’s jump serve, a Schulze tip and front-row play from seasoned seniors Kor and Tuinstra.
Douty, Burmeister and Tuinstra all scooped up a team-high eight digs. Wiese, Schulze and Smidt added five digs each. Both Schulze and Smidt also had two solo ace blocks each.
Tuinstra pounded down an Arrow-best 11 kills, Kor eight and Smidt three.
Kor was tops behind the service line with three of the Arrows six aces, going 10-of-11. Reinhard was a spotless 13-of-13 on serves, and Wiese 12-of-12.
As usual, Pipestone Area Schools’ Kaysa Douty and her jump serve proved effective against Pipestone. (Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
Arrows, Huskies rematch
JACKSON — PAS had another crack at playing Jackson County Central in the subsection semifinals on Tuesday.
Hennager said the girls were ready for the challenge.
The Arrows forced the Huskies into going the distance the first time around, with JCC winning 27-25, 25-21, 22-25, 19-25, 15-10, on Sept. 25.
Emersyn Smidt (dark uniform) prepares to swing during this Friday, Oct. 24, playoff volleyball match.(Star photo by Eric Viccaro)
The winner of the PAS/JCC match would face either top-seeded Windom Area or Luverne in the subsection championship Thursday, Oct. 30, at Springfield High School.
Luverne defeated Redwood Valley in five sets in the other first-round match last Friday.
The Section 3A championship will take place at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall Saturday, Nov. 1. First serve is set for 5 p.m.