The Clarkson/Leigh Volleyball team is playing outstanding Volleyball at the moment as the Patriots won the Hampton Tournament on Saturday, downing Deshler 2-1, the host Hawks, Red Cloud, and Mead 2-0 at the tournament, before sweeping Logan View 3-0 at home Tuesday night.
The Patriots defeated the Dragons 25-13 in the first set, and won the third set 25-14 after dropping the second set 27-25.
Hannah Kasik led the way with 9 kills and 10 digs while Sara McEvoy posted a team-high 14 digs. Halee Steffensmeier and Holly Kuhr totaled 11 each. Kaegan Held compiled 7 digs and 19 set assists.
Clarkson/Leigh topped Mead 25-23 in set one, and 25-15 in set two.
Kasik registered 7 kills and 9 digs while Steffensmeier and McEvoy recorded 11 and 8, respectively. Held dished out 13 set assists.
The Patriots defeated the Warriors 25-19 in the first set, and 25-17 in the second set.
Sydney Folken had a team-high 7 kills while Steffensmeier and Held registered 10 digs and 18 set assists, respectively.
Clarkson/Leigh knocked off the Hawks 25-21 in set one, and 25-17 in set two.
Kasik posted 7 kills while Steffensmeier and Held chipped in 12 digs and 13 set assists, respectively.
Head Coach Becky Schneider says if people didn't know about the Patriots prior to this tournament, they do now. "In the past, no one really knew about Clarkson-Leigh and teams have overlooked us, so for us to win that tournament was huge! It definitely gives us exposure! We knew going in it was going to be a tough day especially going up against Red Cloud who was undefeated, but we didn't let that dictate how we played. We talk a lot about consistency and discipline, and we definitely put that into play at this tournament!"
The Patriots won set one 25-6, set two 25-13, and set three 25-8 over Logan View.
Kasik recorded 12 kills while Folken managed 8. Brittney Urbanek notched 11 digs while Steffensmeier contributed 10. McEvoy dished out 27 set assists.
Schneider says the confidence her girls gained on Saturday carried over to Tuesday. "I think the weekend really helped the girls to realize that 'hey, we really can play sound volleyball', so it definitely speaks volumes about our focus and determination. Coming into the game, we talked about starting off with intensity and keeping that intensity from set to set, and we did exactly that! With past games, one of our weaknesses has been not carrying our momentum into the next set, so we were definitely focused and determined against Logan View!"
Clarkson/Leigh (12-3) hosts the Clarkson/Leigh Tournament on Saturday.
First up is Oakland-Craig (2-16), who lost 3-0 at Howells-Dodge Thursday night.
Schneider says her squad looks forward to the challenge of this tournament. "We are mostly excited about being seeded #1 for our home tournament and having a great opportunity to win this one as well!! With that being said, it is a tough tournament and the competition level will be high, so we just need to stay focused and continue to play the way we have been playing!"
Other teams in the tournament include Howells-Dodge, Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family, Pender, David City Aquinas, Cross County, and BRLD.
It has to be flat out exciting for the Patriots to host this tournament on Saturday knowing how well they've performed this season.
Schneider says growing up, playing together, and knowing one another's tendencies have allowed her team to have the success they've had. "It's a combination of hard work and the dedication these girls have, but also maturity. These girls have been playing together for a few years now, so they are very comfortable with each other and trust each other on the court. They know the game a little bit more and they hold their own expectations as what they want to accomplish together."
Clarkson/Leigh has won 6 in a row and is rolling.
6 wins are over teams with winning records. Schneider says her team doesn't approach tough teams any differently than they do other teams."We do have a tough schedule, but we try to not let that get to us. Every time we step out onto the court, no matter who our opponent is, we want to get out there and just play our game."
Schneider adds her team has started to figure things out, but still has a ways to go before season's end. "As we are in the heart of our season, we have begun to play with more consistency and discipline, something we were missing early on. We are always looking to improve, so each game, win or lose, we try to take something from the game and learn from it. With a lot of season left, we still have more to learn!"
Kasik and Folken have been the team leaders on offense undoubtedly. Schneider says the duo is an integral part of the team. "We have a very well-rounded team, but these two have definitely stepped up their game and their consistency is really important to this team! They are both our top hitters and blockers, and they do a nice job of running the net. Expectations are high for them, so there is no room for error, and they need to continue to stay focused to be on top of their game!"
I look for the Patriots to continue their winning ways on Saturday and have another good tournament.
Can Clarkson/Leigh make it two tournament wins in a row? It's going to be very tough, but it is definitely possible.
These girls can achieve anything they put their minds to as far as I'm concerned.
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