Congratulations to the Cardinal girls’ soccer team for making it to state!  Woo-woo!!

[It is my understanding this was not referring to the senior citizens in the stands?   😦 ]

Indeed, there was a volleyball game on senior night.  We were playing the dreaded Spuds from Moorhead.  Accordingly to my sources we had not beaten the Spuds in volleyball since I had hair on my head – but that’s only hearsay (or is it heresy?).  And the game started as many of recent vintage have – the Cards looked like they could beat Penn State for the first half of Game 1.  Then there must come a realization that it shouldn’t be this easy – aren’t all games suppose to be 2 points, either way?  An early 12 – 4 blistering gave way to a slow catch up by the Spuds the rest of the game.  They may have even tied it, but who knows – it happened a long time ago (yeah, I know, I’m late publishing).  The Cards held on for a 26 – 24 win.  It was a good thing it was a Tuesday, rather than Thursday, so I didn’t have to worry about being late for date night!

[My crack on-site staff was the first to notice that the girls’ cross-country team was seated cross-court from us.  From l – r:  Kalley Kragenbring, Emily Thul, Julia Sieling, Karly Betterman, and Melissa Drown (they are all multi-sport athletes, so we’ll see them again as the seasons roll on).  It was about that time a PA announcement reported the team had finished a strong 2nd in the conference meet earlier in the day (with the Hasz sisters finishing 1 and 2, as usual), and that the girls’ soccer team had won the section semi-final at East Grand Forks.  The soccer team then won the section championship against Sartell on Thursday.  I wish now I had covered them during the season – but then my historical “black cloudedness” as a fan may have had a negative impact on the team!]

[Way to go, CC Team!]

[Amanda C and Adrianne go up, Melissa an interested spectator.]

[Allie points to . . . a flaw in Moorhead’s defensive poistioning?]

[So, she prepares to inflict the dreaded “broken chicken wing” maneuver on the Spuds!]

[How ’bout that one, CCers?]

[CCers:  That was good, do it again!]

[Continuing her avian impressions, here Allie does a soaring condor.]

[Then she congratulates Amanda C and Jenni.]

[Shelby Iverson has joined the CCers as the Cards go up for a block.]

[Jenni, Shanee’, and Natalie prepare on the back line.]

[Jenni readies to receive serve.]

[Emily goes up for a mid-court hit.]

[Melissa’s thinking: A week from now the blogger will be working on this, looking out on beautiful Lake Darling on a sunny afternoon, listening to Tucker’d  Out on the stereo, and wishing he could go down for a nap! ]

[And, Jackie, when we’re done, could you call ahead and order the Blizzards from DQ – no quarter-tonners though!]

[While Amanda C and Jenni medium-five, Shelby displays her bubble blowing prowess in the background.]

[As Adrianne’s up, I’m surprised there aren’t more net touches – their hands are usually on the opponents side of the net for the block.]

[Both Amanda C and Adrianne look like they’re on the net here – but they weren’t as the CCers are impressed!]

[Adrianne and Jenni are airborne here.]

[Natalie and Allie exchange cuticle maintenance tips.]

[I’m sorry, I don’t know her name?]

[Wanna split a quarter-tonner?]

[That’s going long . . .]

[WE WIN!]

[OK, remember we’re on the other side of the net now!]

[That quarter-tonner is gonna cause brain freeze!  Uffda!]

[A hard get . . .]

[Deploy!]

[Good for us!]

[Melissa and Shelby, hockey players, think it’s really funny!  Karly, a basketball player, thinks, Boy, hockey players are really weird!]

[Tara and Emily . . .]

[Cover the net . . .]

[Then go up together.]

[Adrianne and Emily.]

[Then Allie got her 1,000th career set!  Congratulations to her!  🙂 ]

[Dad (?) came out on the floor with a bouquet.]

[Then her teammates converged . . .]

[Blizzards on me!]

[Switch!]

[Fergus Falls, the conference leaders, were there to scout the game.  The girl on the right, Rasmussen (can’t remember her first name, but I have issues in that regard), I think is a Division 1 caliber basketball player.  Those in the know believe she’s even better in volleyball.]

[Show the Otters we got game!]

[This was the Game 3 result – we lost Game 2 by 2.  I didn’t think I could hang in there for a 4th game, old man tushy and all, but I stuck it out.]

[OK, let’s wrap this up in 4.]

[Setters lead a lonely life.  As Allie wanders off all alone again, the frontliners are together talking blocks and kills.  I notice Super Fans (and Super parent and grandparent), Val and Jack Trumm, were still hanging in there, upper right.  🙂 ]

[Allie, I think Val will visit with you.]

[Frontliners celebrate.  That’s OK, Allie – almost Blizzard time!]

[One more point?]

[Yessss!]

[Match over now.  Now we can all celebrate!]

[It was great to see the team close out a match with authority!]

Go Cards!  State soccer tournament will begin with a first round game against Blake in Roseville @ 7:00 on Thursday.  Jess Syvrud (11) in the Echo Press photo.