Tipp with thrilling win against state champs
It was the most anticipated volleyball game on the Tipp schedule in 2025. After dominating the MVL without a close match, the Red Devils had their eyes on October 6 when the Coldwater Cavaliers came to town.
The Cavs are the defending state volleyball champions, and Tipp came into this match with a 57-set winning streak and were a perfect 19-0 on the season.
The Red Devils did see their consecutive set streak end, but they took care of the Cavs, earning a 25-8, 25-9, 16-25, 27-25 victory to win their 20th consecutive game on the season.
“It was evident that we were the dominant team in the first two sets with serve receive and everything,” Tipp coach Howard Garcia said. He also noted in the third set that his squad had 18 errors. “It doesn’t matter who you are, you aren’t going to win a set like that.”
“With that said, you have to give them credit, but our secret weapon, Morgan Sessions, came to the line and put us back in the ballgame (in the fourth set), and we had a chance and won.”
“I think we were mentally tired because as soon as you get into the pressure situations, which we don’t see very frequently, then you start getting tight and doing things that are not how you train to play.”
The way the day started, it looked like Tipp would dominate the MAC conference contenders. Tipp exploded out to a 14-4 lead in the opening set with big service points from Faith Siefring early and Savannah Clawson, who scored three straight to push the lead to ten points.
Lexi Luginbuhl then added to the attack with six points with a pair of big kills from Abbi Mader. Tipp closed out the game with Bri Morris serving strong to end the first set.
Tipp again led 11-5 in set two and never looked back. Morris again had a big set with six straight points to send the Red Devils into the third set looking for a sweep.
Coldwater then responded like a good team does and captured the third set 25-16, ending Tipp’s 58-set winning streak, but the Red Devils responded and hung on in set four despite trailing 21-16 late in the set.
The Cavs looked to push to a fifth set, but Tipp answered thanks to a Clawson kill and three points from Sessions to bring Tipp back. The Red Devils had three game points serves before finally putting it away and escaping with the win.
“We honestly needed that loss (in the third set),” said Clawson. “For the MVL, we have always struggled with that third set. The first two sets showed what kind of team we are.”
“We started off bad in the fourth set as well, but we finally picked it up and realized the team we were and had confidence in each other.”
*Tipp also defeated Sidney last week 25-13, 25-18, 25-17 as seniors Clawson, Sessions, Post, Morris and Kaylee Armstrong were honored. Tipp secured a share of the MVL title with the win.
*Closing out the regular season, the Red Devils secured their third straight MVL championship by finishing unbeaten with a 25-19, 25-14, 25-15 victory over Butler on Thursday. According to coach Garcia, Tipp is the second team in school history to go undefeated during the regular season with 22 wins, second year in a row without losing a set in conference with 135 straight set wins and 76 straight wins since 2021.
