The Cardinals opened tournament action by taking a 25-22, 25-21 win from Providence Academy.
The Lions jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the opening set and held the lead until a Courtney Pasiowitz kill tied the score at 14-14, sparking a 9-2 run by the hosts which eventually led to the first-set win.
In the second set, the teams traded points at the start for a 2-2 tie but Coon Rapids then went on a 12-0 run, getting four service aces from Megan Hayes and four kills from Olivia Jung to take a 14-2 lead.
Despite the large lead, the Lions slowly climbed back into the match, getting to within two points, at 22-20, before Angela Koch combined on a block with Pasiowitz and then Hayes to put the Cardinals up 24-20.
Jung, who had six kills in the second set, finished with a match-high eight kills and a .363 hitting percentage. Ashley Engen had seven kills, two service aces and a block to account for 9.5 points.
In its second match, Coon Rapids had to overcome a first-set loss before advancing to the semifinals with a 22-25, 25-18, 15-8 win over Big Lake.
The second set didn't start off any better as the Hornets jumped out to an 8-3 lead before a seven-point run by the Cardinals turned the match around. Pasiowitz would help extend the lead as back-to-back kills by the sophomore gave Coon Rapids a 16-12 lead and back-to-back aces gave her team a seven-point lead.
Big Lake made a late charge in the set but Engen and Jung combined for a block to get service back for the Cardinals at 23-18 before Paige Jones recorded a kill and set Jung for the a kill for the final point of the set.
Although Coon Rapids got out to an 8-3 lead, the Hornets closed to within 10-8 but the Cardinals reeled off the final five points of the match for the victory.
Jung's six kills paced the Coon Rapids front row while Paige Jones had three kills, three aces, two blocks and 14 assists.
The Cardinals' semifinal match with Fridley saw 12 lead changes but it was the Tigers who came away with a 25-16, 25-23 victory to advance to the championship.
Although Fridley controlled much of the first set, the second set turned into a game of scoring runs as an eight-point Tiger run turned a 15-12 deficit into a 20-15 lead. Coon Rapids responded with a five-point run, getting three consecutive aces from Pasiowitz, to tie the score at 20-20.
The Cardinals responded in the third-place game, taking a first-set lead at 10-9, from which point they would never trail in the match, earning a 25-17, 25-22 win over Cloquet.
Engen had three kills and three blocks in the first set, finishing the match with six kills and four blocks, to lead Coon Rapids.
The three victories evens the Cardinals' record at 3-3 on the season as they enter the conference portion of their schedule. Tuesday, Coon Rapids opens Northwest Suburban Conference play by hosting Blaine. Opening serve is slated for 7 p.m.
Courtney Pasiowitz
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