MN State Girls’ Volleyball Tournament Preview

(courtesy of MSHSL)

BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. --- The State Girls’ Volleyball Tournament is scheduled for November 8-10 at the Xcel Energy Center in downtown St. Paul. Here is a look at the tournament:

FAST FACTS

The schedule:

All quarterfinals will be played on Thursday, Nov. 8. Class AAA matches are scheduled for 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. and Class A will follow at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Class AA teams will compete at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Detailed quarterfinal match-ups can be viewed below. Championship and consolation semifinals in all classes are on Friday, Nov. 9 with the consolation final, third-place and championship matches scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 10. For a complete schedule, see the Minnesota State High School League’s website at www.mshsl.org.

Streaming: School Space Media will livestream all championship matches, starting with the quarterfinals. There is no charge for viewing. Find the stream at www.prepspotlight.tv.

Tickets: Single session: $16 for adults and $11 for students. Daily passes: $30 for adults and $18 for students.

Official ball: Baden VX5EC-220 Perfection, Blue/White/Grey

Detailed season statistics: Team statistics are available on the League website - www.mshsl.org - as a Media Guide link under Tournaments, then Fall, then Volleyball, Girls.

Gates open: 8 a.m. each day.

Game results: Posted on the League’s website at www.mshsl.org

Social media: Follow the tournament on the League’s Facebook page and on Twitter at @MSHSL and @MSHSLJohn.

THE QUARTERFINAL MATCH-UPS

Class A

No. 1 Seed Minneota (33-1) vs. New York Mills (29-2), 1 p.m. – Minneota, which earned runner-up honors in 2017, returns for its second consecutive appearance. The Vikings, who won their only title in 2006, are making their 12th appearance overall. New York Mills returns for the first time since 1981. This is the third appearance overall for the Eagles.

No. 4 Seed Ada-Borup/West (30-1) vs. No. 5 Seed Carlton (28-2), 1 p.m. –Ada-Borup, which competed as a co-op with Norman County West last year, is making its 10th appearance as a single school. The Cougars lost in the consolation semifinals in 2017. The Bulldogs of Carlton are making their fifth appearance, but first since 2014.

No. 2 Seed Mayer Lutheran (21-9) vs. Medford (27-5), 3 p.m. - The two-time defending champions from Mayer Lutheran return in search of more gold. This is their third consecutive appearance and 14th overall appearance. They claimed one additional title in 1982. The Medford Tigers are making their first tournament appearance.

No. 3 Seed Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa (26-4) vs. New Life Academy of Woodbury (19-10), 3 p.m. – The Jaguars of Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa return for their fifth appearance. Their last appearance was in 2010. The Eagles of New Life Academy of Woodbury are making their second consecutive and overall appearance. They went home with the consolation hardware last year.

Class AA

No. 1 Seed Kasson-Mantorville (30-2) vs. St. Cloud Cathedral (28-2), 5 p.m. – The KoMets of Kasson-Mantorville, who claimed consolation honors last year, return for their third consecutive appearance. This is their eighth appearance overall. The St. Cloud Cathedral Crusaders return to the tournament for the first time since 2008. They are making their 11th appearance overall.

No. 4 Seed North Branch (26-4) vs. No. 5 Seed Watertown-Mayer (24-6), 5 p.m. – This is a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal which North Branch won 3-0. North Branch is making its second consecutive and fifth overall appearance. The Vikings earned runner-up honors in 2017. The Watertown-Mayer Royals are returning for their second consecutive appearance and third overall. They bowed out in the consolation semifinals last year.

No. 2 Seed Concordia Academy-Roseville (27-3) vs. Belle Plaine (24-6), 7 p.m. –The Beacons of Concordia-Academy-Roseville return to the tournament after a one-year absence. They are making their 14th overall appearance and are looking for their third title. Concordia Academy-Roseville won previously in 1984 and 1987. Belle Plaine, which includes students from Holy Family Academy of Belle Plaine, is making its 10th appearance. The Tigers made their last appearance in 2015, which is also the year they claimed their only championship.

No. 3 Seed Marshall (27-5) vs. Park Rapids Area (24-6), 7 p.m. – The Tigers of Marshall return for their second consecutive appearance and 28th overall. They placed fourth last year and won previous titles in 2004, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2013. Park Rapids Area is making its debut appearance.

Class AAA

No. 1 Seed Eagan (27-2) vs. Forest Lake (25-6), 9 a.m. – These teams met in the quarterfinals last year with Eagan winning 3-0. Eagan is making its sixth consecutive and 15th overall appearance. The Wildcats placed second last year and are in the hunt for their eighth championship. They won previously in 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2013, 2015, and 2016. The Rangers of Forest Lake are making their second consecutive appearance and third overall. They lost in consolation semifinals in 2017.

No. 4 Seed Stillwater Area (24-6) vs. No. 5 Seed Shakopee (23-8), 9 a.m. – The Stillwater Area Ponies return for third second consecutive appearance. They fell in the consolation semifinals last year and are making their third appearance overall. The Sabers of Shakopee return to tournament action for the first time since 2012. This their fifth overall appearance and they won three consecutive titles between 2007 and 2009.

No. 2 Seed Champlin Park (29-2) vs. Moorhead (22-8), 11 a.m. – This is a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal which Moorhead won 3-2. The Champlin Park Rebels return for their fifth consecutive and sixth overall appearance. They earned consolation honors in 2017. The Moorhead Spuds return for their fourth consecutive appearance and 24th overall. They placed fourth last year and won one previous title in 1988.

No. 3 Seed Lakeville South (27-4) vs. Edina (19-7), 11 a.m. – The Cougars of Lakeville South are making their second appearance, but first since 2016. Edina is making its first state tournament appearance.

PRESS CONFERENCES

There will be a press conference after each match and a mandatory “cooling-off” period. A media steward will assist you in contacting any players or coaches you wish to interview.

2017 STATE TOURNAMENT RECAP

Class A --- Top-seeded Mayer Lutheran won its second consecutive championship after defeating No. 2-seeded Minneota 3-0. This was the third title overall for the Crusaders; they won their first title in 1982. Bethlehem Academy of Faribault claimed third-place honors after defeating Wadena-Deer Creek 3-0. New Life Academy of Woodbury went home with the consolation hardware after posting a 3-0 victory over Cook County of Grand Marais.

Class A --- Maple Lake earned its second consecutive and overall championship after defeating North Branch 3-0. Maple Lake came in as the No. 1 seed and North Branch was the No. 3 seed. Academy of Holy Angels of Richfield settled for third place after beating Marshall 3-0. Kasson-Mantorville rebounded to claim consolation honors. The KoMets defeated the Rams of Roseau 3-0.

Class AAA --- No. 2-seeded Lakeville North upset the two-time defending champions from Eagan 3-1 in winning its third title. In addition to 2017, the Panthers also won in 2010 and 2012. Prior Lake secured third-place honors after defeating Moorhead 3-0. The Champlin Park Rebels won the consolation title after notching a 3-0 win over Hopkins.