Wayzata overpowers Champlin Park, rolls undefeated into volleyball state tournament

The match was perhaps the most highly anticipated of the high school volleyball season.

Wayzata, undefeated, ranked No. 1 in Class 4A and winner of the past three large-school state championships, taking on rival Champlin Park, No. 3 in Class 4A, with the Section 5 championship and a state tournament berth at stake.

All the ingredients were there for a night of memorable volleyball, and it was that. It's not a memory Champlin Park will cherish.

Wayzata played what its players and coach Scott Jackson agreed was its best match of the season, overwhelming Champlin Park in straight sets, 25-14, 25-12, 25-10, on Wednesday.

"We just had it tonight," Jackson said. "We knew it was going to be Champlin in this match and that we had to get through them. Volleyball can be such a game of momentum, and there wasn't much Champlin could do. We have not played that well all season."

This was big-time high school volleyball. The gym at Osseo High School was nearly at its capacity of more than 3,400. Gophers volleyball coach Keegan Cook was in attendance to watch three future Gophers: Stella and Olivia Swenson, Wayzata's dynamic senior twins who've been committed to Minnesota for more than a year, and Champlin Park junior Carly Gilk, a talented hitter who decided last summer to join the Gophers.

Senior setter Stella Swenson is the power plant for Wayzata (31-0), conducting the attack with confidence and poise. She said she was a bundle of nerves during the day.

"The whole day I was jumping up and down, jittery, excited," she said. "Then when the match started, everything just clicked. Our energy, the fluidity of the game. It was our perfect game."

You could not tell that twin sister Olivia was feeling a little sluggish. She attacked with power and purpose, putting on a show for her future college coach.

"I was not feeling well this morning when I woke up, but I told myself, 'I gotta get through the day,' so I was focusing on myself," she said. "This was where it paid off."

Champlin Park senior libero Kaitlyn Erickson knew what awaited Wednesday and felt the Rebels (24-7) were ready.

"We knew they were a really strong team, and they showed it tonight," Erickson said. "It's a battle every time we play them, but they had a little extra tonight and we didn't. Props to them."

Wayzata senior hitter Avery Jesewitz marveled at how well her team played.

"To see it all come together like that, with each of us is doing our job and we're all performing so well, I mean, you can't describe it," Jesewitz said. "We're just so excited for each other. This is the most special thing, and it never gets old."