Jacks Lose Thrilling Match To Superior In Five

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Sept 13, 2012

Kerry Rodd-NSO

Thursday night provided a fans delight in girls volleyball in local high school circles; especially so when Superior and Cloquet hooked up in a hard-fought match that saw the Spartans fight back for a 3-2 victory. Superior won by scores of; 25-20, 15-25, 14-25, 25-17 and 15-13.

After Cloquet lost the first match, they bounced back to win the second and third games of the match in decisive fashion and appeared to have the momentum swinging in their direction. However, in volleyball, perhaps unlike any sport, that momentum can swing back in the other direction at a moment’s notice and that is exactly what happened as the Spartans reacted well to early adversity and came back with a win in game four and then took the decisive fifth game by the narrowest of margins.

Jessica Lindstrom powered the Spartan attack to the tune of 21-kills including a crushing kill to end game number five, and a couple of blocks. Superior also got 25 set assists from Alison Wainioneaa.

Alex Oakes finished with 25-set assists and 12-digs while filling in as setter for Jenna Stone, who suffered a concussion during the Coon Rapids tournament on Saturday. Sami Westendorf clocked in with 12-kills and eight digs, Olivia Mayasich with seven kills, five digs and three blocks and Kristi Wappes with five kills and three ace serves helped to lead the Lumberjacks.

Cloquet is now 5-5 on the season including finishing sixth out of 16 teams in the Coon Rapids Tourney. They will face another test on Monday when they host the perennially competitive Hibbing Bluejackets.

Kerry Rodd can be reached at Kerry@northlandsportsonline.com