Sports Roundup: STMA Soccer Clinches Mississippi 8 Championships

Following up on the St. Michael-Albertville boys soccer team's initial Mississippi 8 Conference championship (which they clinched a share of on Tuesday), the Knights girls soccer squad clinched its own circuit title on Thursday night with a win in its regular-season finale.

Their 2-0 win, coupled with Buffalo's 1-0 win over Rogers, left St. Michael-Albertville the only unbeaten team in the conference.

Girls Soccer

A 2-0 win over visiting Cambridge-Isanti gave the STMA girls soccer team the Mississippi 8 crown with an undefeated 5-0-1 conference mark.

Individual statistics from the game were not available. Heading into Thursday, Paige Voigt led the Knights with 10 goals this season.

With its regular-season now concluded with a 9-2-4 overall record, STMA, a sectional finalist last season, now prepares for this year's Section 8AA Tournament that is slated to begin on Oct. 13. Sectional seeds and matchups will be determined on Oct. 10.

Boys Soccer

With a share of the conference title already secured, the STMA boys soccer team took a victory lap with a 3-1 win at Cambridge-Isanti on Thursday in the regular-season finale.

Justin McLain scored twice, with Winn Nyanseor adding a tally as goalkeeper Cole Christian made three saves for the victory.

The win gave the Knights a 5-0-1 conference mark and a 10-4-2 overall record as the squad now gets ready for the Section 8AA Tournament. Seedings and pairings will be announced on Oct. 10, with the playoffs to run Oct. 13-18.

"The guys were pretty excited," said head coach Darek Dewey. "It's a great accomplishment. But there's more to do."

Volleyball

The Mississippi 8-leading STMA volleyball team defeated Rogers in three games 25-21, 25-21, 25-17) at home on Tuesday to improve to 11-6 overall and 4-1 in conference play.

Jennifer Olejar and Rebecca Hackenmueller had seven kills each to lead the Knights against the Royals, with Olejar's six blocks pacing the squad. Brooke Dold 24 assists to top the team in the victory.

STMA hosts an invitational tournament this weekend, with the Knights opening tourney play against Litchfield at 5:30 p.m. Friday. Play continues at the high school and Middle School West Saturday.

Girls Tennis

The tenth-seeded STMA girls tennis team lost the opening match of the Section 5AA Tournament, 7-0, to No. 7 Coon Rapids on Thursday, ending the Knights' team season.

Selected Knights players will compete in the sectional individual tournament on Oct. 17 and 18 at the Reed-Sweatt Tennis Center in south Minneapolis.

Cross-Country

The STMA cross-country teams hosted and both finished second in an invitational meet on Thursday at the St. Michael Recreation Center.

Individual statistics were not currently available. Both Knights teams finished just two points behind meet victors Apple Valley, the STMA boys claiming 68 points and the girls tallying 56 points.

More to come on Thursday's big meet.