Out & About: Wayzata/St. Michael-Albertville

#2 posting 11.2.2006
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5AAA FINALS
Wayzata 3, St. Michael-Albertville 0
25-21, 25-16, 25-18

Wayzata became the first school to punch their ticket to the state tournament as they won their second 5AAA title in three years with a sweep of St. Michael-Albertville. It was STMA's second straight second place finish. Wayzata controlled the net with 6 blocks for points that altered STMA's attack plan.

Wayzata led early and was only tied at one. Wayzata never unleashed a big run, but did manage to squeeze a point off three straight serves to build up a lead, while they opened the game with five straight first ball sideouts. On Lauren Baufield's second service Wayzata had their biggest run of the first game with two points. STMA took their first time out at 15-9 at this point. Kayla Miedema got the ball back for STMA on the side out. But the Knights never could get traction on the offensive end because they missed six serves in the first frame. STMA missed five on the initial serve, so Wayzata didn't have to exert themselves to get the side out. The only STMA server to produce was Rachel Knutsen. She scored one point on her first service, and then had three more in her second time behind the end line. She cut the lead to 18-15 with two STMA kills and a hitting error and Wayzata took a time out. Tia Gaffen had a block for the side out for Wayzata. The Trojans did go up 23-17 when STMA took their last time out. STMA then had three straight points to close to 23-20. Natalie Dick served up two points, but missed her serve to make it 24-20. Two side outs ended the first game with Meghan Ellis putting up a block to end it.

Wayzata took a 9-4 lead early with points 7-9 coming on kills from Ellis. Baufield was serving at the time and picked up five points from behing the line. STMA took a time out and got back in the game. Regan Englund got the side out on a kill. STMA had two surges with a run of three and another of four. Whitney Rathburn, after a ball handling violation for a side out, served up three points for STMA to cut the Wayzata margin to 17-15. Wayzata burned their first time out at that point. After the time out Baufield sided out with a kill and then served up four straight to make it 22-15. STMA did take a time out a t 20-15, but did not get the ball until Baufield missed a serve. An Ellis kill brought the ball back and two STMA errors ended game two 25-16.

Wayzata controlled the game early again with a 5-1 push early with Julie Droegemueller serving up three points including two aces. STMA was forced to take a time out at that point. Another big run came on Hannah Parks' serve. She delivered five points from the line with three kills by Ellis (1) and Jessie Lasher (2). STMA burned their second time out at 15-6. One change STMA made in game three was putting Maria Berning in on the left side. She responded with five kills in this game. STMA did cut the margin to 22-17 with Rachel Knutsen delivering two points off her serve to make it 22-17. Gaffen had a kill to get the side out, and she also got point 24 on another side out, this time a tip kill. Wayzata won the championship with Lasher serving and STMA producing a passing error.

rotation, player, position, ht, year, aces, blocks, kills-totals
WAYZATA
1 Holly Dale, S, 5-5, 2007, 0-0-0---0
2 Jessie Lasher, OH, 5-9, 2007, 1-0-3---4
3br Julie Droegemueller, L, 5-10, 2007 3-0-0----3
3fr Tia Gaffen, MH, 6-1, 2009, 0-2-5--7
4 Lauren Baufield, RH, 5-10, 2007, 1-1-7---9
5 Hannah Parks, OH, 5-8, 2007, 0-0-3---3
6 Meghan Ellis, MH, 5-10, 2007, 1-3-8---12
Totals: 6-6-26---38 points; 37 points on StMA

ST. MICHAEL-ALBERTVILLE
1 Catherine Yager, S, 6-0, 2009, 1-0-1---2
2 Brittani Wiese, OH, 5-7, 2009, 1-0.5-9---10.5
3br Natalie Dick, DS, 5-4, 2007, 1-0-0---1
3fr Coley Marquette, MH, 5-9, 2008, 0-0.5-0---0.5
4br Whitney Rathbun, DS, 5-6, 2007, 0-0-0---0
4fr g1/2 Kayla Miedema, OH, 5-6, 2007, 0-0-5---5
4fr g3 Maria Berning, OH, 5-8, 2009, 0-0-5---5
5 Allie Knutsen, DS, 5-3, 2009 0-0-3---3
6br Rachel Knutsen, L, 5-8, 2007, 0-0-0---0
6fr Regan Englund, MH, 5-10, 2007, 0-0-4---4
totals: 3-1-27---31 points; 24 points on Wayzata errors

PLAYER OF THE GAME
Meghan Ellis, took control of the net, forced STMA to alter their attacks

NUMBER CRUNCHING
team, fbso/serves--fbso%; pts scored, % earned, % allowed
Wayzata 28/39--.718; 75; .506; .436
StMA 19/39---.487; 55; .564; .493
Wayzata had a solid performance with their fbso game. They were given plenty of points from STMA including 12 service errors on the night.

ROTATION POINTS
WAYZATA
1 Dale 10-7 .588
2 Lasher 10-8 .556
3 Droegemueller 13-13 .500
4 Baufield 19-7 .731
5 Parks 15-6 .714
6 Ellis 8-14 .364

STMA
1 Yager 9-11 .450
2 Wiese 9-12 .429
3 Dick 9-11 .450
4 Rathbun 9-23 .281
5 A Knutsen 6-11 .353
6 R Knutsen 12-7 .632

Wayzata's rotation 4/5 had a clear advantage with percentages over .700. Ellis was patrolling the middle in those rotations. For STMA rotation 4 was an achilles heel with a sub .300 mark. That contrasts with Rachel Knutsen efforts in rotation 6.

Next up: tomorrow morning