Shocked: Falcons upset Huskies in section quarters on Owatonna

OWATONNA — Huskies coach Jason Kaytor knew in his heart his team would reach 24. But just like Owatonna’s Big Nine and section volleyball dreams, it wasn’t meant to be.

The No. 6-seeded Faribault Falcons built leads in all four games and held off the Huskies in three of them in a 3-1 (25-19, 25-20, 15-25, 25-23) Section 1AAA quarterfinal victory over No. 3 Owatonna on Friday night at OHS.

The match ended with a thrilling fourth game that had the hundreds of fans on their feet at the end. The game started out all Falcons. Faribault built leads of 11-3 and 19-9 before Owatonna, with its season on the line, rallied. As the Huskies chipped away at the Falcons’ 10-point lead, Faribault picked up a point here and there and eventually led 24-18.

For the final time this fall, Owatonna gave its fans something to cheer about. McKinzy Lohberger kept serving to the Faribault back row, and the Huskies kept scoring points.

“I was just trying to get it over and in,” Lohberger said. “It was a lot of pressure, but I knew what I had to do.”

Owatonna would pull within 24-23. One more Huskies’ point and Faribault loses match point.

“I believed we would get to 24,” Kaytor said. “I knew we were going to serve it in. They were going to dig it, try and kill it and we were going to get a big block.”

It was Faribault that got the block and the win. The Falcons (16-9) will play the winner No. 2 seed Farmington and No. 7 seed Hastings on Thursday.

The Owatonna (15-13) players will have to pack up their stuff. It was the final match for seniors Hannah Copp, Elli Wallace, Samantha Anderson, Christa Bruessel, Taryn Anderson and Kalie Schuster.

“I’m going to miss the seniors so much,” Lohberger said. Talking about her senior teammates brought tears to her eyes. “I’m so close to all of them. I absolutely love all of them. I can’t believe they won’t be here next year. They have meant so much to the program.”

It seemed like Owatonna trailed all night. Faribault got off to a fast start in Game 1, building a 16-6 lead.

“It’s been a theme for us all year,” Kaytor said. “We just keep doing it, and we did it all night long.”

Despite playing from behind most of the night, Owatonna kept rallying. The Huskies lost three three games by only a total of 13 points.

“We had to stay fired up,” Lohberger said. “I feel our team spirit got us this far.”

For the fourth time in five years, Owatonna lost to a lower-seeded team in the section playoffs, and for the second time, the Huskies lost at home in the quarterfinals.

Kaytor brings back several key players, including floor captain Lauren Malo, Lauren Schlobohm, team captain Carly Ulrich, Michelle Mattke and Lohberger as the Huskies try to get their Big Nine title back from Rochester Century next fall.

“They have to learn how to win,” Kaytor said. “They need to communicate on the floor and move their feet. They have to have the desire to be the best player they can be.”

Schlobohm led Owatonna with 18 kills. Lohberger had 33 set assists, and Malo had 14 digs and seven kills. All three will be back next year.

“We can’t stop working,” Lohberger said. “We just have to be better next year. We have to do what we have to do to be the best.”

Owatonna stats: Elli Wallace 8 kills; Lauren Malo 7 kills, 14 digs; Lauren Schlobohm 18 kills; Michelle Mattke 7 kills; Carly Ulrich 14 digs; Hannah Copp 18 digs; McKinzy Lohberger 33 set assists, 13 digs.

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