Page 16 Stillwater Ponies Fall Sports Preview • Friday , September 6 , 2024 stillwatergazette . com
VOLLEYBALL Stillwater chasing third consecutive trip to state
Head coach — Sara Baumgard ( 5th year ).
Assistant coaches — Amy Rutherford and Mike Alexander .
Last season — 20-12 ( 7-2 SEC , 2nd place ).
2024 captains — Courtney Peters and Mackenzie Slachta .
Who ’ s gone — Middle hitter Mackenzie Peters , setter Lexie Lehman and outside hitter Shelby Barwick graduated off a Stillwater girls volleyball team that finished fourth in the state tournament .
Right-side hitter Ava Erickson also departed after earning honorable mention all-conference honors . Peters was named to the All-Tournament Team . Jordan Kimlinger joined Lehman in taking care of the setting duties .
Who ’ s back — Junior outside hitter Courtney Peters and senior libero / defensive specialist Mackenzie Slachta were honorable mention all-conference selections a year ago .
They are serving as captains for a squad that also returns senior libero Julianne Kurth and sophomore outside hitter Ella Hartung , who emerged as a contributor down the stretch last season .
Others — Setter Josie Hellyer and middle blocker Maryn Yunker , both sophomores , are expected to contribute this season . Similar to a year ago , the Ponies feature players who can play in a number of spots based on match-ups and other factors .
Conference — East Ridge went undefeated in the Suburban East Conference a year ago and has captured six of the last seven league championships while compiling a 64-1 league record during that time .
The Ponies are the only team to defeat East Ridge during that stretch , which they achieved on the way to their most recent conference title in 2018 . Stillwater ( 7-2 ) and Forest Lake ( 7-2 ) tied for second place behind the
Seniors for the Stillwater volleyball team include Mackenzie Slachta , left , and Julianne Kurth , right . Senior Eliana Wimberger is missing from the photo .
Raptors ( 9-0 ) while Roseville ( 6- 3 ), Mounds View ( 5-4 ) and Park ( 5-4 ) were not far behind .
Park was the only conference team to win a set against East Ridge last season — marking just the second dropped game for the Raptors in their last 65 conference matches .
“ East Ridge is the top contender , as well as Roseville and Forest Lake ,” Ponies coach Sara Baumgard said . “ I suspect we will be in there as well .”
Section — Stillwater has advanced to the finals of the section tournament each of the past seven seasons , including a year ago when the Ponies rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Roseville to earn their second consecutive trip to state .
Stillwater also defeated the Raiders in the 2022 section finals , but Roseville outlasted the Ponies in five games to claim the coveted state bid in 2021 . The other teams in Section 4AAAA are Irondale , White Bear Lake , St . Paul Central , Mounds View , Tartan and 2019 section champion North St . Paul .
“ Roseville is a great program and I hope to see them in the section final ,” Baumgard said .
Outlook — Last year ’ s state tournament appearance was not entirely expected following the graduation of several key contributors that helped carry the Ponies to state in 2022 . It was a process all season with plenty of movement in and out of the lineup , but they played their best volleyball when it mattered the most .
This year ’ s success will rely on the players coming back and how well they connect with the newcomers and / or players taking on larger roles this season .
“ Offensively we have a lot of girls who can play different positions ,” Baumgard said . “ Areas for improvement are leadership and experience .”
Quotable — “ We want to win our section and go to state ,” Baumgard said . “ If we gel early and form a strong team connection from the beginning , we should have a competitive season . We have a lot of depth offensively .”
Notable — The Ponies have qualified for state five times , including each of the past two seasons . Stillwater outlasted Roseville 3-2 to win the Section 4AAAA title and then rallied for a 3-2 victory over third-seeded Rogers in the state quarterfinals before placing fourth at state .
Stillwater made its first-ever trip to the state tournament in 2009 and followed state appearances under previous head coach Bob Fisher in 2017 and 2018 . The program ’ s top finishes came while placing fourth in 2009 , 2018 and 2023 . Stillwater lost to the eventual champion in each of its first two trips to the state tournament , the state runner-up in 2018 and 2023 , and the third-place finisher in 2022 .
• Stillwater has claimed a total of four conference championships , starting with its first in 1976 and additional titles coming in 2009 , 2010 and 2018 . The Ponies are to 5-3 all-time in seven trips to the section finals . The first time Stillwater played in the section finals was 1991 while coached by Don Gettinger .
• Only two current Suburban East Conference teams have ever advanced to the state finals . White Bear Lake finished as the runner-up in the two-class state tournament in 1999 and East Ridge placed second in the inaugural Class AAAA state tournament in 2021 .
• Maddie Whittington was named the Ms . Baden Volleyball Player of the Year by the Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association in 2019 .
See Volleyball , Page 17