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Head of the Lake

By Tim Kolehmainen, 08/03/14, 8:00PM CDT

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Aug. 3: In battle of Lake Conference foes, Hopkins claims the Gold division title at our Summer Elite Invite


Hopkins wins the Gold bracket title at the 5th annual Breakdown Summer Elite Invite on Sunday, Aug. 3 at Midwest Volleyball Warehouse in Burnsville. Photos by Tim Kolehmainen.

Just another night in the Lake Conference, right? Not quite. With the volleyball regular season still three weeks away, Sunday night’s meeting between Hopkins and Wayzata didn’t factor into any standings and didn’t happen in either teams’ home gym. But it did mean something.

For the Royals, it meant winning the championship in the Gold Division of the 5th annual Breakdown/Midwest Volleyball Warehouse Summer Elite Invitational tournament. Hopkins dropped only one set against six opponents on the day, including a 25-23, 25-20 defeat of Wayzata in the championship match.

“We play tough teams and I think it helps us in the long run,” said Hopkins senior setter Sam Seliger Swenson. “I think this tournament helped give us confidence.”

As the Hopkins players watched the second semifinal between Wayzata and Grand Rapids, they were openly rooting for their conference rivals to win. But that support faded as soon as the championship match began.

The Royals surged out to a 17-12 lead in the first set, but Wayzata rallied to take a late 23-22 lead. Hopkins calmly responded by taking the final three points of the set, capped by an Allison Jensen service ace. They took that momentum into the second set, racing out to leads of 7-2 and 17-9 before the Trojans called a time out to regroup.

On the strong arms of Tia Dille-Starks (eight kills) and Kate Berg (nine kills), Wayzata again rallied to within 21-18, but couldn’t slow Hopkins enough. The Royals again scored four of the final six points to win.

Seliger Swenson’s all-around game led the way for the Royals, as she racked up six kills, nine set assists and four service aces.

“Whatever has to be done,” said Seliger Swenson, who was sporting a temporary henna tattoo on her left arm along with one of her teammates.

Ingrid Werner and younger sister Greta Werner each added five kills, Audrey Erickson had four kills and Ruby Moreland chipped in with three kills. The Royals were without their biggest hitter, Jasmyn Martin, but made the adjustment well.

“We’ll get even stronger when we get our L1, Jasmyn Martin, back,” admitted Ingrid Werner, who usually is a libero for the Royals but did a great impression of a starting hitter Sunday night. “I used to be a hitter and sometimes I miss it, but I like libero better. But it was fun (tonight).”

Hopkins cruised past Owatonna (25-16, 25-12), Holy Family Catholic (19-25, 25-19, 15-6) and Stewartville (25-17, 25-15) in pool play, then outgunned North St. Paul (25-21, 25-19) in the quarterfinals and Blaine (25-9, 25-15) in the semifinals.

Lake Conference rival Wayzata also looked strong entering the championship match, sweeping its pool play over Blooming Prairie (25-15, 25-11), St. Peter (25-16, 25-11) and Mounds View (25-20, 25-18) before edging Cambridge-Isanti (24-26, 25-16, 15-8) in the quarterfinals and Grand Rapids (26-24, 25-19) in the semifinals.

In the other bracket championships, Stewartville defeated Thief River Falls in the Silver Division (25-10, 25-12) and Spring Lake Park beat Jordan in the Bronze Division (25-16, 25-23).

— Tim Kolehmainen

Gold Playoff Bracket

Quarterfinals
Hopkins def. North St. Paul, 25-21, 25-19
Blaine def. St. Michael-Albertville, 25-21, 25-17
Wayzata def. Cambridge-Isanti, 24-26, 25-16, 15-8
Grand Rapids def. Totino-Grace, 25-23, 19-25, 15-11

Semifinals
Hopkins def. Blaine, 25-9, 25-15
Wayzata def. Grand Rapids, 26-24, 25-19

Final
Hopkins def. Wayzata, 25-23, 25-20

Silver Playoff Bracket

Quarterfinals
Stewartville def. Moorhead, 25-8, 25-23
Farmington def. St. Croix Lutheran, 31-29, 14-25, 15-7
Thief River Falls def. St. Peter, 25-23, 25-22
New London-Spicer def. Centennial, 17-25, 25-17, 15-11

Semifinals
Stewartville def. Farmington, 25-19, 25-15
Thief River Falls def. New London-Spicer, 25-20, 18-25, 20-18

Final
Stewartville def. Thief River Falls, 25-10, 25-12

Bronze Playoff Bracket

Quarterfinals
Spring Lake Park def. Owatonna, 25-17, 25-27, 15-8
Hayfield def. Maple Lake, 25-17, 17-25, 17-15
Mabel-Canton def. Mounds View, 23-25, 25-21, 15-7
Jordan def. Braham, 25-15, 25-15

Semifinals
Spring Lake Park def. Maple Lake, 25-21, 23-25, 15-12
Jordan def. Mabel-Canton, 25-20, 25-27, 15-13

Final
Spring Lake Park def. Jordan, 25-16, 25-23


Pool 1 Results

Team Match W/L Set W/L
Hopkins 3-0 6-1
Stewartville 2-1 4-2
Owatonna 1-2 2-5
Holy Family 0-3 2-6

Hopkins def. Owatonna, 25-16, 25-12
Stewartville def. Holy Family, 25-13, 25-16
Hopkins def. Holy Family, 19-25, 25-19, 15-6
Stewartville def. Owatonna, 25-21, 25-16
Owatonna def. Holy Family, 25-15, 17-25, 15-9
Hopkins def. Stewartville, 25-17, 25-15

Pool 2 Results

Team Match W/L Set W/L
Wayzata 3-0 6-0
Mounds View 1-2 0-3
Blooming Prairie 0-3 0-6
St. Peter 2-1 4-2

Wayzata def. Blooming Prairie, 25-15, 25-11
St. Peter def. Mounds View, 25-17, 25-20
Wayzata def. St. Peter, 25-16, 25-11
Mounds View def. Blooming Prairie, 25-18, 25-21
St. Peter def. Blooming Prairie, 25-17, 25-15
Wayzata def. Mounds View, 25-20, 25-18

Pool 3 Results

Team Match W/L Set W/L
Jordan 1-2 4-4
Grand Rapids 3-0 6-1
New London-Spicer 2-1 4-4
Cannon Falls 0-3 1-6

New London-Spicer def. Jordan, 25-18, 14-25, 15-11
Grand Rapids def. Cannon Falls, 25-22, 25-9
Jordan def. Cannon Falls, 25-22, 25-13
Grand Rapids def. New London-Spicer, 25-15, 25-15
New London-Spicer def. Cannon Falls, 25-23, 20-25, 18-16
Grand Rapids def. Jordan, 23-25, 25-19, 15-10

Pool 4 Results

Team Match W/L Set W/L
St. Michael-Albertville 2-1 5-2
Fillmore Central 0-3 2-6
St. Croix Lutheran 2-1 4-3
Hayfield 2-1 4-4

St. Michael-Albertville def. St. Croix Lutheran, 25-16, 25-19
Hayfield def. Fillmore Central, 10-25, 27-25, 15-6
Hayfield def. St. Michael-Albertville, 25-23, 13-25, 15-13
St. Croix Lutheran def. Fillmore Central, 20-25, 25-13, 15-11
St. Croix Lutheran def. Hayfield, 25-22, 25-21
St. Michael-Albertville def. Fillmore Central, 25-16, 25-21

Pool 5 Results

Team Match W/L Set W/L
Blaine 3-0 6-2
Maple Lake 1-2 2-4
Farmington 2-1 5-3
Cloquet 0-3 2-6

Blaine def. Farmington, 11-25, 25-17, 15-9
Maple Lake def. Cloquet, 25-17, 25-22
Blaine def. Cloquet, 21-25, 25-22, 15-8
Farmington def. Maple Lake, 25-19, 25-16
Farmington def. Cloquet, 26-24, 23-25, 15-11
Blaine def. Maple Lake, 25-18, 25-23

Pool 6 Results

Team Match W/L Set W/L
Totino-Grace 3-0 6-1
Centennial 2-1 4-4
Armstrong 0-3 2-6
Braham 1-2 4-5

Totino-Grace def. Armstrong, 25-11, 25-17
Centennial def. Braham, 25-22, 24-26, 15-8
Totino-Grace def. Braham, 25-15, 22-25, 15-4
Centennial def. Armstrong, 16-25, 25-18, 15-7
Braham def. Armstrong, 25-21, 16-25, 17-15
Totino-Grace def. Centennial, 25-22, 25-18

Pool 7 Results

Team Match W/L Set W/L
Thief River Falls 2-1 5-3
Cambridge-Isanti 2-1 4-2
Mabel-Canton 2-1 4-3
Martin Co West 0-3 1-6

Mabel-Canton def. Thief River Falls, 20-25, 25-16, 15-9
Cambridge-Isanti def. Martin Co West, 25-19, 25-18
Thief River Falls def. Martin Co West, 23-25, 25-20, 15-10
Cambridge-Isanti def. Mabel-Canton, 25-19, 25-19
Mabel-Canton def. Martin Co West, 25-19, 25-18
Thief River Falls def. Cambridge-Isanti, 25-19, 25-19

Pool 8 Results

Team Match W/L Set W/L
North St. Paul 3-0 6-0
Moorhead 2-1 4-2
Sibley East 0-3 0-6
Spring Lake Park 1-2 2-4

North St. Paul def. Sibley East, 25-12, 26-24
Moorhead def. Spring Lake Park, 25-15, 25-22
North St. Paul def. Spring Lake Park, 26-24, 25-19
Moorhead def. Sibley East, 25-22, 25-22
Spring Lake Park def. Sibley East, 26-24, 25-17
North St. Paul def. Moorhead, 25-21, 25-13

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