ST. PAUL — Rochester Mayo's hopes for a volleyball state championship were thwarted in the first round Thursday by Osseo, but the Spartans weren't about to let their season end on Friday.
Mayo dropped the first two sets before coming back dramatically for a 3-2 win over Grand Rapids in a Class AAA consolation semifinal match at Xcel Energy Center.
It was Mayo's first match win in its three most-recent state tournament trips in six years, all under head coach Deb Frederick. The Spartans went 0-2 in both 2008 and 2010.
"It means a lot," assured Mayo senior outside hitter Ashlee Halstead. "Coach said before we came up here that she had never won with a team at the state tournament before, so we really wanted to win this one for her.
"For ourselves, too, but especially for her."
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Sophomore outside hitter Anna Winter starred for Mayo with 26 kills, and senior outside hitter Maria Theisen had a big match with 18 kills. Halstead added 10 kills.
Freshman libero Kate Holtan had four of Mayo's 11 ace serves, and she led the Spartans with 40 digs.
For Grand Rapids, which was in the state tournament for the first time since 1996, Bekah Morris had 20 kills and Maddie Keute had 41 digs. Grand Rapids, the Section 7AAA champion, finished 29-4.
Mayo (25-5) will play for fifth place at 9 a.m. Saturday at Xcel.
Mayo 3, Grand Rapids 2
Mayo #23#18#40#25#15
Grand Rapids #25#25#38#21#11
Grand Rapids (29-4)(Kills-aces-blocks): Morris, Bekah 20-0-0;Yurrick, Anna 14-0-2; Gareri, Angela 13-0-4; Sjostrand, Staci 11-0-9;Mattson, Sidney 7-2-4; Deutsch, Diana 4-0-3; Keute, Maddie 2-4-0;Zubke, Rachel 0-2-0; Persons, Myranda 0-1-0; Totals 71-9-13.0. Assists- Mattson, Sidney 57. Digs- Keute, Maddie 41; Mattson, Sidney37; Morris,Bekah 25; Zubke, Rachel 24; Peterson, Annika 14.
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Rochester Mayo (25-5)(Kills-aces-blocks): Winter, Anna 26-1-2;Theisen,Maria 18-0-5; Halstead, Ashlee 10-0-8; Maas, Kat 7-0-3;Holtan, Nora 6-1-1; Thompson, Hannah 4-1-2; Goergen,Mary 0-2-0;Dozier, Lydia 0-2-0; Holtan, Kate 0-4-0; Totals 71-11-11.0. Assists -Holtan, Nora 54. Digs- Holtan, Kate 40; Holtan, Nora 27;Winter, Anna 26; Thompson, Hannah 22; Dozier, Lydia 13.
Time:2:16
