That's all she wrote. They had an outstanding season...I can't say enough about the improvement of this team from the opening serve of the season opener against Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta in late August.
As far as playoff losses go in volleyball, this surpassed the 1994 sub-section final loss to Sauk Centre at St. Ben's University. I vividly recall that match, in which the Jaguars lost game five 15-4 to an outstanding Mainstreeters team that ended up winning two Region 5A matches and advancing to the state tournament. Current junior on the team, Tia Halvorson, was born during that season. Her mother, Carrie Halvorson, was the head coach. (And a darn good one too.)
In every season where the Jaguars made it deep into the volleyball playoffs, only the 1994 and 2011 squads battled into five-game matches. During all the other deep playoff runs that ended short of the state tournament, the Jaguars lost out either in a sweep or in four games.
Here's the expanded list relating to the last paragraph: 1997 (3-0 loss to state-ranked Delano); 2000 (3-0 loss to state-ranked Sauk Centre); 2002 (3-1 loss to MACCRAY); 2003 (3-0 loss to state-ranked Albany); 2004 (3-1 loss to MACCRAY); 2006 (3-1 loss to Montevideo); 2009 (3-0 loss to Nevis).
**Update at 22:23...Area playoff volleyball results:
Section 6AA: Sauk Centre 3, Annandale 0
Section 5AA: Maple Lake 3, Fridley 1 (way to go Coach Kiebel and the Irish!)
Section 6A: Ada-Borup 3, Wheaton/Herman-Norcross 0
Section 3AA: Marshall 3, Jackson County Central 0
Section 3A: Minneota 3, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 0
Section 2A: BOLD 3, United South Central 0
I have to give a shout out to the fine staff of Pierz Healy school, as they worked a few loopholes to get me connected to their outstanding wireless internet. Thanks a bunch! Your school and staff display endless class every time I make the trip to Pierz.
