Eden Prairie's Chad Becker believes the this year's Eagles' team is best he has ever coached.

Abby Ihrke, Lauren Mattison and Elizabeth Mohr, along with the rest of Eden Prairie’s strong senior group, showed why as the Eagles defeated Chanhassen  25-15, 25-17, 25-18 Monday night at Chanhassen High School.

Ihrke, an outside hitter, recorded seven kills and 18 digs while Mattison, a defensive specialist, had 22 digs. Mohr, a setter, finished with 35 assists.

Eden Prairie, ranked No. 2 in the latest Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association's Class 3A poll, has an experienced roster with eight seniors led by captains Ihrke, Mattison and Mohr. Ihrke and Mohr are playing their third varsity season while Mattison is in her second.

Becker said this year’s senior class is one of the hardest working groups he's seen. They are also one of the closest.

“They get along," Becker said. "There’s no drama. They just come in the gym and they’re focused in getting better every day and they’re a ton of fun to be around, and we’re going to miss them.”

Eden Prairie hasn’t lost a set in seven matches this fall.

Although Eden Prairie doesn’t have a standout offensive player, such as former All-American Sarah Wilhite, the Eagles do have the strongest defensive class of Becker's tenure, he said, and Mohr is leading the way.

“Our setter (Mohr), is the best defensive setter I’ve ever been around in my 19 years of coaching," Becker said. "They’re just committed to play defense.”

Mohr will be taking her setting skills to Concordia-St. Paul after high school. The Golden Bears are used to success, having won seven NCAA Division II national championships, and Mohr figures she'll fit right in coming from an Eden Prairie program that also knows what it takes to win.

The Eagles' seniors have played in the last two state tournaments. They lost 3-1 in the semifinals to eventual state champion Eagan in 2013 and lost 3-1 to Lakeville North in the 2012 state finals. 

"We do all the little things, we have the heart and the will to do all the little things to make the big things happen,” Mohr said. “We push that extra step to get a ball up.”

Chemistry is also key in the Eagles' success, Ihrke said.

“We’re definitely really close this year,” Ihrke said. “It’s something that we kind of carried over from last year. It’s a crazy bond. You don’t see it in a lot of teams in a lot of sports, but it helps us have trust in each other during games.”

Once the season is finished this group of seniors will go their separate ways, and Mattison knows it won't be easy to leave so many girls who mean so much.

"I’m going to miss them a lot and my friends, who I’ve been playing with for so many years, so it will be really different not having them by my side,” Mattison said.

Senior Abby Ihrke recorded seven kills and 18 digs while senior defensive specialist Lauren Mattison had 22 digs as Eden Prairie, ranked No. 2 in the latest Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association's Class 3A poll, swept Chanhassen 25-15, 25-17, 25-18 Monday night at Chanhassen High School.

Senior setter Elizabeth Mohr finished with 35 assists for the Eagles.

Eden Prairie (4-0) hasn't dropped a set in seven matches this fall.

The Storm couldn't get past the Eagles' stifling defense. The closest Chanhassen came to winning a set against the Eagles was in the third game, which the Storm lost by six points.

Spotlight Game Coverage