On Thursday, October 2, the Hawks topped in-town opponent Southwest Christian in four sets on Senior Night, with all five seniors making key contributions in front of a packed gym.
Senior Night is always a night to remember — but with in-town opponent Southwest Christian visiting the Chaska High School gym, this Senior Night would prove to be one to remember for the Hawks girls volleyball team. The Hawks beat the Stars in four sets — 25-27, 25-18, 25-21, 25-19 — in an intense match between the city of Chaska’s two varsity girls volleyball teams.
The evening began with emotion and recognition but quickly turned into a gritty performance that showed Chaska’s resilience. The Hawks dropped the opening set and looked shaky early, playing without standout junior Mollie Budde. But from the second set on, they completely flipped the script.
“The emotions of Senior Night fueled me to play my best and make it a night to remember,” said senior setter Madison Pridon. “It reminded me how important it is to play for each other and how little time we have left together as a team. I felt so supported by my teammates, coaches, friends and family, and that energy gave me an extra push to fight even harder.”
That spark carried into the second set. Freshman Britta Petersen and senior McKenna Golden delivered a series of impressive kills to turn momentum in Chaska’s favor. Unfortunately, Golden suffered an injury midway through the set that forced her to the bench — but not before she helped set the tone.
“It motivated me to show up for my teammates and to play my hardest,” Golden said. “We really changed the energy and came out with a lot more talk and confidence.”
From there, the Hawks settled into a rhythm. Pridon orchestrated the offense, setting up Chaska’s front-line hitters for a steady flow of kills over the final three sets.
Senior Emma Hanson anchored the middle with one of her strongest performances of the season, while sophomores Natalie Heyer and Finley Mathiasen, along with junior Evie Lundeen, added key points from the outside.
Sophomore Jazlyn Schrupp had a breakout game in the middle, and the defensive play of junior libero Clara Christ, junior Ali Leonard, sophomore Jaylyn Boyle, and freshman Brooke Bachmann kept rallies alive with several outstanding saves.
“It was definitely an emotional and bittersweet night,” Hanson said. “Playing for my best friends beside me and for something bigger than myself was extra prevalent tonight. After that first-set loss, we told each other it was time to lean on one another, and that carried us through with momentum and energy.”
Senior Allie Wurtzberger echoed that theme.
“I felt so proud and excited to be in the gym with my girls,” she said. “It felt really special, and I was motivated to do my best on and off the court. We knew we could turn the game around with energy and confidence — and we just executed.”
The highlight of the night came late in the third set, when senior Sophia Krueger delivered an emphatic kill to seal a 25-21 win, igniting the crowd.
“It motivated me to do my best to help my team — not just for me, but for all the seniors,” Krueger said. “Winning on an event like this made it extra special.”
SWCHS — a perennial powerhouse in Class AA — didn’t go quietly, pushing Chaska throughout. But the Hawks’ focus, emotion and togetherness ultimately proved too much.
“This game was huge for us,” Pridon said. “They’re a talented team and are ranked for a reason. To come out with a win like that on senior night is something I’ll never forget.”
“It was a huge win,” Hanson added. “Coming back after a first-set loss took a lot of resilience and only made us stronger as a team.”
Wurtzberger summed up the night: “This was a huge win for the Chaska program. It felt amazing having all the parents and our cheering sections supporting us. I can’t wait to see how the rest of the season goes.”
Golden agreed. “It felt awesome to contribute to the energy and grit of the team. We wanted to play harder than any game before because of senior night — and I think that gave us the extra step in our effort.”
(Chaska Girls Volleyball is back in action on Tuesday, Oct. 14, visiting crosstown rival Chanhassen, with the game starting at 7 p.m. The Hawks final home game of the season will be Wednesday, Oct. 15, against Champlin Park, starting at 7 p.m.)
