WILLMAR - The Willmar volleyball team shook off a rough start and home-match jitters to overcome Sartell 3-1 on Thursday and run its record to 3-0.
The Cardinals won 13-25, 25-22, 25-20 and 25-15.
The first game was a stunner, with the Cardinals playing their first home match of the season.
But head coach Traci Grussing said she’s seen resilience in her young team so far this season, and that different lineups have been able to play together seamlessly.
“We looked really scored that first game,” Grussing said. “We couldn’t pass the ball at all and we missed a lot of serves. Everything that possibly could go wrong did.”
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Grussing mixed and matched personnel and the Cardinals took off.
“We put some different people in, we battled back and we just kept getting better and better and the night went on,” Grussing said.
Carly Wedel led the Cardinals with eight kills and Esther Grussing had six kills and 26 set assists.
Grussing served three aces, had three blocks and 16 digs. Cami Sletta had five kills and a block, and Heidi Sellman served an ace and had three kills and four blocks.
The Cardinals have a tough task ahead in the Shakopee Invitational on Saturday.
In pool play, Willmar faces No. 2-ranked Eagan and Rochester Mayor, also a top-10 team, as well as Forest Lake.
Willmar 3, Sartell 1
Sartell (1-2, 1-2) 25 22 20 15
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Willmar (3-0, 3-0) 13 25 25 25
Sartell
Statistics not provided
Willmar
Serving (aces): Addie Erickson 3, Esther Grussing 3, Emma Rosen 1, Heidi Sellman 1, Sam Pina 1 … Set assists: Grussing 26, Erickson 4, Carly Wedel 4 … Hitting (kills): Erickson 1, Cami Sletta 5, Wedel 8, Katelyn Haug 3, Rosen 1, Grussing 6, Grace Marti 4, Hannah Gallagher 8, Sellman 3, Martha Roberts 1 … Blocking (aces): Sletta 1, Wedel 2, Grussing 3, Marti 2, Gallagher 2, Sellman 4, Roberts 1 … Digs (5 or more): Erickson 12, Wedel 8, Rosen 9, Grussing 16, Pina 13
