Wildcats get to section final but fall apart after getting 2-0 lead

Chisago Lakes' volleyball team played in the Section 4AAA championship match after picking up a pair of postseason victories last week, including a dramatic five-set win over St. Paul Harding that was almost a near meltdown.

The third-seeded Wildcats opened section play on Wednesday, October 28, with a relatively easy 3-0 win over sixth-seeded St. Paul Como Park at Chisago Lakes High School. The win set up a match with the 16-8 Harding Knights, who were the second seed.

 Chisago Lakes needed all five sets to escape with a 25-23, 25-16, 14-25, 18-25, 15-11 victory over the Knights on their home court.

The Wildcats appeared to be in control early, edging Harding 25-23 in a competitive opening set before pulling away for a more comfortable 25-16 victory in the second. With a two-set advantage, Chisago Lakes was just one win away from advancing to the section finals and cruising.

But Harding wasn't ready to see its season come to an end.

The Knights responded with a dominant 25-14 victory in the third set and carried that momentum into the fourth, winning 25-18 to erase the Wildcats' advantage and force a decisive fifth set.

With their season hanging in the balance, the Wildcats regrouped and found a way to finish the job. The ‘Cats claimed the final set 15-11, avoiding what would have been a disappointing collapse after building the huge early lead.

The victory sent the Wildcats into the Section 4AAA championship match against top-seeded Hill-Murray on Wednesday, November 4, at Hill-Murray. The Pioneers won after CL got out to a 2-0 lead. For the whole story, check out next week's Press.