Volleyball sweeps in CMC action (VIDEOS*)

The B-B-E Jaguars volleyball team made it two in a row for Central Minnesota Conference opponents as they charge ahead in the 2022 regular season. Tonight in a home match against Kimball Area, the Jaguars won 25-12, 25-21, 26-24 against a Cubs team that played inspired volleyball in the third set before blowing a 22-17 lead.

Both teams started out playing tight, and the Jaguars were shaking off a bit of rust as they had not been in action since last Saturday in Marshall. Once the Jaguars got a couple errors out of their system, they expanded from a 4-3 lead to a 12-4 lead. Both teams traded punches which made for a 14-7 score, the Jaguars got kills from Adley Hagen and Brooklyn Fischer to make it a 17-7 lead. Errors down the stretch led to the Cubs' demise in a 25-12 game one loss.

The Jaguars led 8-3 early in game two, but the Cubs utilized three different scoring runs to stay within reach. Two late kills by Ava Mueller helped the Jaguars close out a 25-21 win. Kimball Area was much sharper in game two, and that set up what was a very entertaining and well-played game three.

The Cubs presented challenges for the Jaguars in game three. They feature an experienced, senior setter in Olivia Mortenson and also have two six-foot tall senior hitters to contend with. Kimball Area's speed and agility was on display in game three, but the Jaguars turned it up right when they had to after trailing 22-17 to close out the 26-24 win.

The Cubs fall to 7-6 overall and 0-2 in the CMC. Last week at Eden Valley-Watkins (7-5), Kimball Area lost 3-1 in their CMC opener.

As a team, the Jaguars hit at a 15.5 percent clip with sophomore setter Kylie Weller earning 32 set assists. Ava Mueller led the team with 12 kills, while Brooklyn Fischer added eight kills. Allison Dingmann had six kills.

**Here's a post-match interview with senior Abby Berge tonight:


Next: the Jaguars (6-4, 2-0) travel to the Crosby-Ironton tournament on Saturday; they host Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg in a border battle contest next Monday night. The Fighting Saints are 3-6 overall and 1-3 in the Camden North Conference.

**Added Friday...here's video featuring starter introductions and the start of game one against Kimball:


Central Minnesota Conference volleyball scores on September 15:
Eden Valley-Watkins 3, Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 0
Holdingford 3, Royalton 0
Paynesville Area 3, Maple Lake 0 (at Maple Lake)