Once again, Andover reaches state tourney

Though at times up and down, Andover's volleyball team is still around.

The Huskies reached the state tournament for the fourth time in five seasons with a team coach Connie Huberty said might be her smallest and scrappiest. Andover (21-9) opens Class 3A tournament play at 9 a.m. Thursday against No. 4 seed Wayzata (22-8) at Xcel Energy Center.

Andover is a different team than the one Wayzata beat 3-1 on Sept. 22. Senior Lauren Cipperly, whose 265 kills lead the Huskies, missed the regular-season match because of a sprained anterior cruciate ligament.

Her injury, suffered in warmups against Centennial on Sept. 18, was the first of several tough tests Andover endured this season.

Cipperly returned to action just in time for a disastrous 3-0 loss against Northwest Suburban Conference rival Blaine.

"We shouldn't have gotten off the bus," Huberty said. "You want to show up against teams that will make you better."

The loss prompted some soul-searching, but the team quickly recovered. The Huskies swept Osseo five days after the Blaine loss. Like Andover, the Orioles are playing in the state tournament this week.

The victory, Huberty said, "reaffirmed that we hadn't flushed the season down the toilet."

The Section 7 playoffs featured much less drama. Andover swept St. Francis, Anoka and Grand Rapids thanks to strong play throughout the lineup.

Jenna McNallan (201 kills) has provided a solid complement to Cipperly. Libero Shannyn Rosendahl recorded 63 digs in the playoffs, her best three-match stretch of the season. And Abby Cleveland emerged, contributing 19 kills in the playoffs.

"She played like she had been there before," Huberty said of Cleveland, a sophomore.

And now Andover is playing in the state tournament again.

David La Vaque • 612-673-7574