Bethlehem Academy Volleyball Looking for Consistency

The Faribault Bethlehem Academy Cardinal volleyball team has played some outstanding volleyball at times this season but like all teams is striving for more consistency.

The #5 Class 1A Cardinals finished the regular season with their traditional tune-up at the Chaska Tournament over the weekend going 1-3.  They fell to Belle Plaine in three sets, top ranked Class 3A Eagan in two sets, Bemidji in two sets, before rolling by Winona in two sets.

Scores in the Eagan match weren't posted on either the BA or Eagan MSHSL pages.

Against Belle Plaine the Cardinals won the first set 26-24 before falling 25-11 and 15-13.  Belle Plaine has a (11-15) record heading into the Section 2 Class 2A playoffs.

The Bemidji (14-13) scores were 25-18, 25-18.  The wins over Winona (5-21) were 25-9, 25-16.

Cardinal Head Coach Franz Boelter said during our segment at Faribault Interiors Saturday the team has the physical tools to be very good but has stretches where they give away points.

Service errors, hitting, blocking, setting or serve receive errors tend to snowball at times and the key to making a deep playoff run is probably the same for Bethlehem Academy as every other team.

Cut down on errors.  The team that makes the fewest mistakes usually wins.

But you still have to be aggressive and that's not easy.

The Cardinals are the #2 seed in the West Subsection of Section 1 Class 1A which is without a doubt the toughest Section Tournament in Class 1A.

Hayfield, Faribault Bethlehem Academy, Caledonia and Mabel-Canton are all state ranked and there are some other very good teams in the tournament also.

The team that wins the Section just might be playing for a state title on November 11 in St. Paul.

Class 1A top rated Mayer Lutheran was also at the Chaska Tournament over the weekend and went 3-1 with wins over Stillwater, Bemidji and Chaska before falling to Eagan 25-12 and 25-20 for just their second loss of the season.

The defending State Class 1A Champion Crusaders only losses have been to the top rated teams in Class 3A and Class 2A.

Mayer Lutheran is in the same section with Waterville-Elysian-Morristown.