Luverne junior Ashley Heitkamp tips the ball over the net during Friday’s South Section 3AA Volleyball Tournament game against Pipestone in Jackson. The Arrows swept the Cardinals to end Luverne’s 10-18-1 season.By John RittenhouseA rough draw led to an early exit when the Luverne Cardinals opened the South Section 3AA Volleyball Tournament in Jackson Friday.The sixth-seeded Cardinals opened the event by taking on No. 3 Pipestone Area, the state’s third-ranked Class AA team, in the quarterfinal round of the event at Jackson County Central High School.Luverne was hoping to post an upset to advance to the semifinals, but the Arrows didn’t let that happen as they coasted to a 3-0 victory.Pipestone advanced to Tuesday’s semifinals in Worthington, where it met No. 2 seed Windom. Luverne’s 10-18-1 season came to an end.Luverne got off to a promising start in Game 1 against the Arrows after taking a 2-1 lead with a service point from Tera Boomgaarden.The Arrows moved in front moments later, but Luverne’s Chelsea Park served an ace to cut Pipestone’s lead to one point at 6-5.Pipestone assumed control of the game at that point by going on a 16-2 run to open a 22-7 advantage.A service point from Luverne’s Brittney Williams made the difference 13 points (22-9) before Pipestone reeled off three straight points to post a 25-9 win.The Arrows scored the first two points of Game 2 on the way to taking a 9-3 advantage early.Luverne put together a 6-2 surge capped by a kill from Boomgaarden to trim the difference to four points (11-7), and a kill by LHS senior Stephanie Morgan made it a three-point game (14-11) moments later.Pipestone was sporting an 18-14 lead when it went on a 7-4 run to put away a 25-18 victory for a 2-0 lead in games.Luverne took a 3-2 edge in Game 3 after Cassie Pap produced a kill.The Arrows forged in front 9-5, but the Cards countered with a three-point run capped by a kill from Pap to make it a 9-8 game.Pipestone increased its lead to seven points (17-10) with an 8-2 run before the Cardinals battled back with a 9-6 surge that ended with Williams serving a point to trail 23-19.The Arrows, however, scored the next two points to ice a 25-19 win that ended the match.Pap, who had four blocks at the net, led the Cardinals with seven kills. Boomgaarden and Callen Bosshart registered four kills each.Ashley Heitkamp and Morgan contributed four and three blocks to Luverne’s cause.Williams, who served three aces, led the Cards with 10 set assists. Park registered six set assists.
