Sports
Lakeville North Routs Bemidji, Heads To State Semis
The Panthers will face Andover at 11 a.m. on Friday in St. Paul
The key to state tournament success is continuous focus, a lesson reinforced 25 minutes before the volleyball team took the court Thursday in the Class AAA quarterfinals.
The Panthers took the court moments after Hutchinson upset top-seeded Blaine on the same Xcel Energy Center court, driving home a stern message that invincibility is nonexistent.
“We knew everyone was going to bring their A Games,” senior Kelly Nizzari said. “There are going to be some upsets.”
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North looked like a team on a mission for much of Thursday, using that motivation to defeat Bemidji 3-0 in St. Paul.
The Panthers’ 25-10, 25-7, 29-27 victory was a strong indication that they are fully prepared to take a stab at back-to-back Class AAA championships. North looked poised, focused and hungry through their first two sets and, despite letting the Lumberjacks fight back in the third, found a way to close the deal.
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Lakeville North will face Andover on Friday at 11 a.m. in the state semifinals.
The postgame message was simple. If the Panthers (26-5) play like they did in Thursday’s first two sets, they will be tough to beat.
“We talked about it in the locker room,” sophomore outside hitter Alyssa Goehner said. “We can’t let them get ahead like that. We can’t let the game go. We’ll push forward tomorrow.”
Goehner led the team’s offensive attack, finishing with 21 kills on the day. Teammate Haley Walker had eight kills and Nicole Latzig had four.
Defensively, the Panthers were sharp. Prior to the third set, Bemidji (24-9) put together consecutive points just twice, partially because North meshed together in perfect symmetry.
Nizzari said the Panthers’ path through a difficult section—defeating highly-ranked Eagan and Lakeville South along the way—made for an easy transition to state.
“Out section felt like the state tournament,” Nizzari said. “That got us ready.”
Now, the focus shifts to Friday. A win would put North into the finals with a shot to defend its 2010 crown.
To get there, Goehner said the focus and communication used for much of Thursday’s match will crucial.
“We can’t play like that third set, the way we played,” she said. “We really can’t have low expectations for each team, because every team matters. Everyone wants it bad.”
