Lydia SussneSussner helps SW Minnesota Junior Olympics 18 Club win title in Orlando
Minneota senior-to-be Lydia Sussner was one of the hitters who helped the Southwest Minnesota Junior Olympic 18 Club volleyball team win the championship at ESPN’s Wide-World Sports Complex in Orlando Florida this past week.
The middle hitter paired with nine other area girls to win 13 straight games and bring home the top award from the prestigious tournament.
Also a member of that team is Assistant Coach Mike Dalager of Minneota. He resides in Minneota and helps manage Borch’s Sporting Goods in Marshall.
The head coach is Tyler Boddy with Sarina Smith and Emma Thomssen also helping out as assistant coaches.
Despite a knee injury, Sussner played during the tough tournament that saw them beat two teams in three sets — and the 13 other teams in just two sets for a record of 26-2 in sets won and lost.
The finals against COA-18 Red from Indiana went three sets and Southwest Minnesota won the match, 23-25; 25-16 and 15-10 to bring home the championship.
Here are all 13 matches won by Southwest Minensota and the final scores:
•Prime Time 18-Blue, Illinois, 25-23; 22-25; 15-7
•Asica Team Indiana Elite 18 Nick, 25-12; 25-17.
•Mississippi SeaRogues, Mississippi, 25-11; 25-7.
•Fond du Lac Fusion 19 Purple, Wisconsin, 25-9; 25-15
•New Wave 18 Tsunami, Illinois, 25-16; 25-10
•Rocky Select 19-1, Colorado, 25-13; 25-14
•Peregrinas 18U, Puerto Rico, 25-8; 25-17
•Impact VBC-18 National, Indiana, 25-16, 25-16
•KEVC 18-1, Minnesota, 25-11; 25-16
•THREE 18 Black, Missouri, 25-19; 25-22
•Sports Performance 18 White, Illinois, 25-22; 25-12
•Xcel 18X Select, North Carolina, 25-15; 15-18
•COA 18-Red, Indiana, 23-25; 25-16; 15-10
Other members of the team are:
•Sydney Schwitters, MACCRAY
•Miah Kunkel, Adrian
•Ellie Thein, MACCRAY
•Lydia Sussner, Minneota
•Alexis Ferrell, Luverne
•Whitney Schwartz, Marshall
•Meeghan Dahlager, Yellow Medicine East
•Ahlea Wright, Canby
•Maddy Guetter, Wabasso
•Erica Jones, Marshall
ALSO ON center stage in Orlando with the SW Minnesota 16-1 Volleyball team is Natalie Rolbiecki of Minneota.
The freshman-to-be is one of the leading hitters on the team.
They were set to begin competition on Wednesday and will play throughout this week.
The Rolbiecki family is on hand for the tournament and are vacationing in the Orlando Area so they can cheer their team on.