As the volleyball season winds toward its final weeks, the St. Clair Lady Cyclones are hitting their stride at precisely the right time.
Powered by a historic offensive performance from outside hitter Payton Blount and a resilient team defense, St. Clair delivered a week of high-octane volleyball. Highlighted by a thrilling five-set reverse sweep against conference rival MVL and a gritty runner-up finish at their eight-team home tournament, the Cyclones proved they can weather any storm.
On Thursday, October 1, the Cyclones hosted Minnesota Valley Lutheran (MVL) in a SCC clash that quickly turned into an instant classic.
The opening set featured heavy hitting on both sides, establishing early parity. Blount set the tone with a roaring line shot down the left side to tie the set at 4–4. Though a late ace by Charlotte Dauk brought St. Clair within two at 18–16, a string of late unforced errors allowed the Chargers to close out a 25–21 set victory.
The momentum carried into set two, where St. Clair’s attack appeared off-balance. MVL capitalized on multi-point runs to claim a 25–18 set win and put the Cyclones in a 2–0 hole.
With their backs against the wall, St. Clair turned to its outside threat to jumpstart the rally. Blount was unstoppable, pairing offensive firepower with net defense and back-to-back aces to push St. Clair to a 20–12 third-set cushion. The Cyclones flipped the script to win set three 25–18.
Set four was a back-and-forth battle. DeMartini ignited the squad early with an ace, while Blount repeatedly found hardwood through outstretched hands. Tied at 15–15, DeMartini registered a solo block followed by a soft loft shot that sent Charger defenders diving. Clinging to a tight 23–22 lead, Stella Brekke delivered a massive block at the net, sparking St. Clair to a 25–22 win and forcing a deciding fifth set.
Driven by a roaring home crowd, the Cyclones dominated the tiebreaker. DeMartini rejected an MVL attack to put St. Clair up 10–5—a swing that seemed to completely drain the Chargers’ energy. Fittingly, a final block by DeMartini sealed the remarkable reverse sweep 15-7.
The match showcased true perseverance in this Cyclones squad; no matter the deficit, they found a way to chip at the Chargers’ front line. Ultimately, it was the herculean effort by Blount—who reset her single match kill record to a staggering 35—led St. Clair to an unbelievable victory.
“Our setters did a great job feeding the hot hand,” noted Coach Sander staff following the match. “She (Blount) was putting the ball anywhere on the court. Her leadership truly shined. It was great to see the girls connect and trust each other.”
Two days after their emotional win over MVL, eight teams converged on St. Clair for the annual Home Invitational. Having finished as runners-up in each of the last two years, the Cyclones set their sights firmly on the top trophy.
St. Clair came out firing in their opening pool match against the West Lutheran Warriors:
- Set 1: DeMartini opened with a rolling kill and an ace. St. Clair’s service game dominated, racking up nearly ten aces in the set. Oachs recorded three consecutive aces, and Jobe sealed a 25–12 win with four straight service points, including three aces herself.
- Set 2: After an early 4–0 deficit, St. Clair went on a dominant 9–1 run behind kills from Blount and DeMartini, alongside solid net play from the Brekke sisters. The Cyclones closed out the sweep 25–17.
In match two, St. Clair faced a physically imposing Pine Island Panthers team:
- Set 1: The teams traded early runs before Pine Island’s front-row size and southpaw hitter Lauren Pahl began to control the net. The Panthers closed on an 11–3 run to take set one 25–15.
- Set 2: St. Clair found themselves in an early 7–0 hole. Refusing to fold, the Cyclones mounted a relentless comeback. DeMartini notched key kills and drop shots to close the gap, and Blount tied the set at 23–23 before landing a cross-court strike for match point, taking set two 25–23. (Pine Island advanced on aggregate point differential).
Advancing into the championship bracket, the Cyclones swept Blue Earth in convincing fashion, winning 25–19 twice; Blount led the charge with 10 kills and 12 digs, while DeMartini added 7 kills.
In the tournament semifinals against Mabel-Canton, St. Clair dropped a tough opening set 14–25 before mounting another signature rally. Behind 14 kills from Blount, 6 kills from Winkler, and 10 digs from Loeslie, St. Clair stormed back to take set two 25–21 and clinched a nail-biting third set 15–13 to secure a championship berth.
The final match pit St. Clair against Pine Island for the second time in the tournament:
- Set 1: A thrilling, high-volume opening set went to extra points, with Pine Island barely holding on for a 26–24 victory.
- Set 2: St. Clair responded off the heavy arms of Blount and DeMartini, capturing set two 25–21 to force a winner-take-all third set.
- Set 3: In a race to 15, defense dominated. Stella Brekke’s wall at the net and Oachs’ floor defense in the back row kept long rallies alive. However, Pine Island executed down the stretch, edging out a 15–12 win.
St. Clair earned a hard-fought runner-up finish—their third podium placement at the home tournament in the last four years.
With five regular-season matches remaining, the Lady Cyclones have proven they have the mental toughness and offensive punch required for playoff volleyball.
St. Clair hits the road this week for a pair of tough matchups against GHEC-T-ML (Oct. 5) and Sibley East (Oct. 6)—two key contests that will serve as vital playoff previews as the Cyclones fine-tune their rotations for the upcoming postseason gauntlet.
