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Chaska returns to volleyball state tourney as Class 3A favorite

By Joel Rippel, Star Tribune, 11/05/14, 10:24PM CST

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It’s the Hawks’ first state trip since 2006 after falling one win short the past two years.


Chaska's volleyball team practiced earlier this season in its home gym. The Hawks are the favorites to win the Class 3A tournament this week. (Matthew Hintz, special to the Star Tribune)

 

After falling one victory short of the state volleyball tournament in each of the past two years, Chaska reached the Class 3A, Section 2 championship match again this year.

“We have seven seniors who have been together since sixth grade,” Hawks coach Sue Murphy said. “They said, ‘This is our last chance, let’s make it happen.’ ”

The Hawks erased the disappointment of the previous two years by defeating Prior Lake, a team they had lost to twice during the regular season, 25-20, 25-9, 27-25, for their first section title since 2006.

The Hawks (27-3) are the No. 1 seed in Class 3A and will open the tournament Thursday at the Xcel Energy Center against Section 8 champion Bemidji (19-11).

“Bemidji was in our tournament [in mid-October], but we didn’t play each other,” Murphy said. “We tell the [players] there is one thing we can worry about — Chaska. We can’t get out of our system. We have to play the way we normally play, and we have to be on an even keel.”

The Hawks, who have won 13 consecutive matches since a loss to Prior Lake on Sept. 20, have been led by first-team All-Metro middle hitter Sarah Kelly. The 5-11 Kelly has 345 kills to go over 1,000 for her career.

Eden Prairie is the No. 2 seed, defending champion Eagan is the No. 3 seed, Roseville No. 4 and Champlin Park No. 5.

Unseeded Rochester Mayo (26-3), which won the consolation title last year and has a 17-match winning streak, and Cambridge-Isanti, making its first appearance in the state tournament, complete the 3A field.

Chaska went 5-0 during the regular season against teams in this year’s state tournament field. It defeated Champlin Park, Eagan and Roseville in Class 3A, Belle Plaine in Class 2A and Mayer Lutheran in Class 1A.

“The caliber of talent in this state is so strong,” Murphy said. “There is never a team you can underestimate.

‘‘All of the teams have [the talent] to win a state title.”

Class 2A

Three-time defending champion Marshall (23-9), making its 14th consecutive appearance in the state tournament, is the No. 2 seed.

Stewartville (27-6), returning to the state tournament after a two-year absence, is the No. 1 seed. Stewartville coach John Dzubay is second in state history in volleyball wins with 859.

Belle Plaine is the No. 3 seed, Concordia Academy No. 4 and Maple Lake No. 5.

Class 1A

A new champion will be crowned in Class 1A, as none of the top five teams from last year returned.

Faribault Bethlehem Academy (26-4), which didn’t reach the state tournament last year after winning state titles in 2011 and 2012, is the No. 1 seed. The Cardinals have won six state titles since 2003.

Tracy-Milroy-Balaton is the No. 2 seed, Mayer Lutheran No. 3 and Martin County West, sixth last year, No. 4.

Ada-Borup, the No. 5 seed, is coached by Ruth Hayden, who recently became the fifth coach in state history to surpass 700 career victories. Hayden is second in victories among active coaches.

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