Minnesota volleyball section tournaments should serve up no shortage of interesting matchups as top teams head on a collision course before the state tournament’s opening serve.
Here are the high school girls volleyball sections to keep an eye on as postseason kicks off
Some of Minnesota’s top teams will meet in the section tournament before reaching the final state bracket. Here’s what to watch for each class in high school volleyball.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
October 21, 2024 at 10:00PM
Four classes, plenty of quality teams — but only eight can make the final state bracket in each of their respective size classifications.
Here’s our top section battles to keep an eye on in each class.
Class 4A: Section 1
A trio of teams have battled back and forth for the top spot in Class 4A volleyball this season, but only two of those three teams — Champlin Park, Lakeville North and Lakeville South — will make the state tournament.
That’s because current No. 1 Lakeville South (26-2) and No. 3 Lakeville North (24-3) both compete for the Class 4A, Section 1 title. The crosstown rivals met once already in early October, with South winning 3-1.
Since four-time state runner-up Lakeville split into two schools in 2005, North has been the bigger volleyball powerhouse. The Panthers have won three state titles in ten trips to state, while South has booked a tournament ticket twice, in 2016 and 2018.
But South’s junior outside hitter Romi Chlebecek leads the Cougars with 322 kills this season, and sophomore Kaelyn Bjorklund has 562 assists, while senior libero Josie Tingelhoff has held it down defensively, with 355 digs. Should both Lakevilles make it to the Section 1 championship, South will face North’s returning All-State honoree, junior setter Rayna Christianson, and senior outside/middle Annika Swenson, among a talented roster.
Class 3A: Section 2
No. 1 Delano (28-0) has been state runner-up three times — as recently as last year — but has never won a title. Undefeated headed into the state tournament, the Tigers will have to first make it out of a tough section with No. 3 Northfield (20-6) and No. 10 Benilde-St. Margaret’s (16-12).
Northfield has never been to state, and Benilde-St. Margaret’s finished runner-up in 2022 in its first state tournament appearance since 1983. They’ll each hope for a chance to knock off three-time reigning 3A champion Marshall at Xcel Energy Center in November.
Class 2A: Section 6
Reigning champions Pequot Lakes (17-10) graduated nine seniors last year, including All-State honorees Ella Kratochvil and Grace Hoffard. They’re seeded fourth this year, behind Albany, Sauk Centre and Royalton.
Albany (26-3) is ranked No. 1 in 2A, led by senior outside hitter Hannah Klein’s 244 kills, 149 digs and 24 service aces. Albany already has head-to-head wins over Pequot Lakes and Sauk Centre (21-5, the sixth-ranked team in its class) and is looking for its first trip to state since 2003.
Class 1A: Section 3
Three top-10 1A teams will try to pave their way to state through Section 3. Four-time champion and No. 3 Minneota is 19-10 but has challenged itself against top 4A teams during in-season invite tournaments. No. 4 Canby (22-6) has also punched above its size classification against 4A teams such as Wayzata and Chaska but lost 3-0 against Minneota this season.
No. 6 MACCRAY (22-7) has head-to-head 2-1 wins over both Minneota and Canby at the Midwest Volleyball Warehouse Showcase in September but lost 3-1 playing host to Minneota earlier in the season.
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