PUDAS INVITATIONAL, Eden Prairie, Saturday 9.2.2017
Minnetonka won an all Lake Conference final in the Eden Prairie Pudas Invitational. The Skippers knocked off host Eden Prairie for the title in three. This marks the second straight year the Eagles ended up in second place. This also snaps Minnetonka’s string of four second place finishes in title games with EP. The Skippers were runners up to EP from 2012 to 2015. Last year Blaine won the title. This is only the third year since I have been charting that the Eagles didn’t win their own tournament.
This also marks the first time in a while that there were a dozen entries into the tournament. That allowed for four pools of three. Chanhassen, was perhaps the most surprising team to make the semifinals. #9 Blaine did not make it out of pool play. Jefferson was also a one seed in their pool, but Armstrong edged out the Jaguars in three for the final spot.
Just a word about my schedule this fall: due to budget cuts in Minneapolis all seven schools lost a paid assistant coach. We didn’t lose players. In fact Henry is now paired with FAIR. We still have about 35 players, but now two coaches. We break our practice sessions in two to focus on the two groups (varsity/JV, and 3rd/4th team). That second practice session doesn’t get over until 6:55 meaning I would have time to run across the street to watch a game. That is why you won’t be seeing any weekday out & abouts this year.
The stats are back for these games. I experimented today with ever touch. I don’t have a stat progam (yet) that can examine the numbers quickly. The paper and pen method is a bit slower, but this promises to give more detail if I can get it computerized. Don’t expect it this year however.
EDEN PRAIRIE 2, ARMSTRONG 1
(27-25, 18-25, 15-6)
Host EP survived a scare from Armstrong in the opening semifinal. The Falcons were on the verge of a first set triumph at 24-19, but the host Eagles held off five set points to tie it at 24. EP also held off another set point after a side out. Just prior to that episode Armstrong had missed two straight serves (points 18 and 19 for EP.). All told it was an 8-1 finishing kick for the Eagles. EP inched forward at 26-25 on a rotational ace when Armstrong was out of alignment.
Armstrong closed the deal in the second set after EP evened the score at 16. A missed Eagle serve opened the door for a four point run. An Eagle time out at 19-16 didn’t slow down the Falcons momentum. The big arm of Lauren Clark cranked up seven kills in the second frame. Unfortunately for Armstrong, she would not get another point in the third set.
The third set opened with EP in an odd position. They ran off the first four points, the first time they were playing with a lead and Armstrong was forced to play catch up. The Eagles tagged on another run of five after a time out putting the set almost out of reach. Six of the nine EP points either came on blocks or Armstrong hitting errors. For the match EP earned 39 while Armstrong was right behind with 37.
EDEN PRAIRIE
| SRV | # | Name | Pos | Year | A | B | K | Points |
| 1 | 5 | Izzy Thorne | OH | 2020 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1 | 11 | Makenna Berger | OH | 2019 | 0 | 0.5 | 8 | 8.5 |
| 2 | 13 | Hannah Bley | MH | 2018 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 3 | 6 | Emma Martinson | S | 2020 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | 8 | Grace Persson | OH | 2018 | 0 | 1.5 | 15 | 16.5 |
| 5 | 2 | Kelly Meyer | L | 2018 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 5 | 12 | Kaitlyn Pond | MH | 2018 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 6 | 4 | Estella Acevedo | S | 2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | 7 | ShaeAnn Nelson | RH | 2018 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| TOTALS | 4 | 5 | 30 | 39 |
ASSISTS: Martinson 28, Persson 1, Nelson 1
ARMSTRONG
| SRV | # | Name | Pos | Year | A | B | K | Points |
| 1 | 14 | Ryley Frey | S | 2021 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| 2 | 12 | Lauren Clark | OH | 2019 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 11 |
| 3 | 4 | Maddie Zenanko | L | 2018 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | 11 | Brynna Mayer | MH | 2019 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 4 | 6 | Libby Mattila | RH | 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | 9 | Sofie Vogel | OH | 2020 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| 4 | 8 | Rachael Ukestad | MH | 2020 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 5 | 5 | Audrey Schumacher | DS | 2019 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| 6 | 16 | Olivia Heckt | MH | 2018 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| TOTALS | 6 | 1 | 30 | 37 |
ASSISTS: Frey 20, Zenanko 2, Mayer 1, Ukestad 1
TRENCH PLAYER
Grace Persson
EARNED/ALLOWED POINTS PER SET
| Earned 1 | Earned 2 | Earned 3 | Allowed 1 | Allowed 2 | Allowed 3 | |
| Eden Prairie | 17 | 14 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 1 |
| Armstrong | 16 | 16 | 5 | 10 | 4 | 7 |
BY THE NUMBERS
| Item | Eden Prairie | Armstrong |
| First Ball SO | 20/33-.606 | 17/35-.486 |
| Runs 3+ | 6 | 6 |
| Longest String | 5 (2x) | 4 (3x) |
| Missed Serves | 4 | 7 |
| Serving % | .935 | .875 |
| Time outs | 2/4 .500 | 2/4 .500 |
| Set points | 2/2 1.000 | 1/8 .125 |
RACE TO …
| Set | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
| 1 | A | A | A | A | A |
| 2 | A | A | A | A | A |
| 3 | EP | EP | EP |
BIGGEST LEAD
| Set | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Eden Prairie | 2 | 1 | 8 |
| Armstrong | 5 | 5 | 0 |
MINNETONKA 2, CHANHASSEN 0
(25-13, 25-18)
Minnetonka swept section 2AAA neighbor with an earned point margin of 23 in the second semifinal. The Skippers only trailed 3-0 in the second set. The were in front by 7-6. Katelyn Lannom led Minnetonka with 12 points, four less than the entire Storm team. The Skippers had double the kills.
MINNETONKA
| SRV | # | Name | Pos | Year | A | B | K | Points |
| 1 | 2 | Drew McDougall | L | 2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | 3 | Claire Sester | MH | 2019 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0.5 |
| 1 | 11 | Sydney Clinton | MH | 2018 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 6 | Rachel Dill | DS | 2018 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 5 | Alison Sundem | RH | 2019 | 0 | 0.5 | 3 | 3.5 |
| 3 | 12 | Erin Shoemaker | OH | 2019 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 3 | 13 | Kaya Gendreau | OH | 2019 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 3 | 7 | Jingjia McIntosh-Yee | OH | 2019 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | 4 | Katelyn Lannom | MH | 2018 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 12 |
| 5 | 9 | Dresden Pass | S | 2019 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 6 | 10 | Skyler Germann | OH | 2020 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 |
| 6 | 8 | Erin Ackerson | OH | 2020 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| TOTALS | 6 | 3 | 30 | 39 |
ASSISTS: Pass 23, McDougall 2
CHANHASSEN
| SRV | # | Name | Pos | Year | A | B | K | Points |
| 1 | 11 | Lauren Fox | S | 2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | 13 | Sidney Brastad | OH | 2018 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 3 | 8 | Alondra Neunsinger | MH | 2018 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 4 | 5 | Ainsley Rouse | DS | 2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | 3 | Katie Paine | RH | 2020 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 5 | 6 | Abby Renfroe | OH | 2018 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 5 | 10 | Anna Reiter | OH | 2019 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | 4 | Lauren Snader | L | 2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | 2 | Madison Ellman | MH | 2021 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| TOTALS | 1 | 1 | 14 | 16 |
ASSISTS: Lauren Fox 7, Renfroe 4, Snader 1,
TRENCH PLAYER
Katelyn Lannom
BY THE NUMBERS
| Item | Minnetonka | Chanhassen |
| First Ball SO | 15/22-.682 | 6/22-.273 |
| Runs 3+ | 7 | 2 |
| Longest String | 5 | 3 |
| Time outs | — | 2/4-.500 |
| Set points | 2/3-.667 | — |
RACE TO …
| Set | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
| 1 | M | M | M | M | M |
| 2 | C | M | M | M | M |
BIGGEST LEAD
| Set | 1 | 2 |
| Minnetonka | 12 | 7 |
| Chanhassen | 0 | 3 |
MINNETONKA 2, EDEN PRAIRIE 1
(27-25, 15-25, 15-9)
Minnetonka won their first EP title, but they had a bit of a déjà vu feeling in the first set. They avoided Armstrong’s fate, barely. Minnetonka was cruising along at 21-14 after seven straight points. Two EP time outs did not halt the flow. But directly after that run, EP rose up and rattled off six straight narrowing the gap to 21-20. The second Skipper time out stopped the run after the first failed to do so after the first three points in the run. Both teams traded five side outs. The Skippers had two set points, but EP held firm hoping to replicate that comeback win in the semis. Grace Persson came up with a kill to stop set point number three. Persson led the way with 15 kills in the match. A serve that sailed deep gave the ball back to Minnetonka. Skyler Germann’s kill ended the first set.
EP ran up two big runs in the second set. The first came with six straight turning a two point deficit into a four point bump (8-4). Persson had three kills in that sequence for the Eagles. Minnetonka stayed close narrowing the gap to 14-13. EP wrapped up the second set with six straight points, the last three coming on hitting errors.
The deciding set’s first run came with four straight by the Skippers to pull in front 6-3. Minnetonka wouldn’t trail again. It also forced the first EP time out. Skyler Germann led the charge with two straight kills in that run. Minnetonka added another run of three to increase their margin to four (9-5). Minnetonka’s defense also foiled any traction for EP holding the Eagles to no runs in the final frame. The final Minnetonka run of three put the Skippers within reach at 13-8. It also forced the Eagles to burn their last time out at 12-8.
MINNETONKA
| SRV | # | Name | Pos | Year | A | B | K | Points |
| 1 | 2 | Drew McDougall | L | 2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | 3 | Claire Sester | MH | 2019 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| 2 | 6 | Rachel Dill | DS | 2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | 5 | Alison Sundem | RH | 2019 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 3 | 13 | Kaya Gendreau | OH | 2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | 7 | Jingjia McIntosh-Yee | OH | 2019 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 11 |
| 4 | 4 | Katelyn Lannom | MH | 2018 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 9 |
| 5 | 9 | Dresden Pass | S | 2019 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 6 | 10 | Skyler Germann | OH | 2020 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 13 |
| TOTALS | 6 | 4 | 34 | 44 |
EDEN PRAIRIE
| SRV | # | Name | Pos | Year | A | B | K | Points |
| 1 | 5 | Izzy Thorne | OH | 2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | 11 | Makenna Berger | OH | 2019 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 |
| 1 | 3 | Jenna Solheid | OH | 2018 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 13 | Hannah Bley | MH | 2018 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 3 | 6 | Emma Martinson | S | 2020 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 4 | 8 | Grace Persson | OH | 2018 | 0 | 0.5 | 15 | 15.5 |
| 5 | 2 | Kelly Meyer | L | 2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | 12 | Kaitlyn Pond | MH | 2018 | 0 | 2.5 | 1 | 3.5 |
| 6 | 4 | Estella Acevedo | S | 2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | 7 | ShaeAnn Nelson | RH | 2018 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 |
| TOTALS | 0 | 5 | 36 | 41 |
TRENCH PLAYER
Skyler Germann
BY THE NUMBERS
| Item | Minnetonka | Eden Prairie |
| First Ball SO | 15/30-.500 | 16/31-.516 |
| Runs 3+ | 7 | 6 |
| Longest String | 7 | 6 |
| Missed Serves | ||
| Serving % | ||
| Time outs | ¾-.750 | ¼-.250 |
| Set points | 2/5-.400 | 1/1-1.000 |
RACE TO …
| Set | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 |
| 1 | EP | EP | M | M | M |
| 2 | EP | EP | EP | EP | EP |
| 3 | M | M | M |
BIGGEST LEAD
| Set | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Minnetonka | 7 | 2 | 6 |
| Eden Prairie | 3 | 10 | 1 |