Two teams going in opposite directions meet on Thursday at the East Ridge gym.
Mounds View (6-5, 1-2) won its first four matches this season but has lost its past four. The Mustangs now must face a No. 5-3A Raptors squad with growing confidence.
East Ridge (12-3, 2-0) has played a tough schedule and remained in the coaches' top-10 rankings the entire season. The Raptors' losses have come against No. 4-3A Lakeville North (3-2 on Aug. 29), No. 7-3A Shakopee (2-0 on Sept. 7) and No. 2-3A Northfield (2-0 on Sept. 20).
Even the losses have helped bolster the Raptors' confidence. "Our girls know that they are not far off, and they are motivated to make improvements on those performances," East Ridge coach Steve Anderson said.
Captains Avery Burger (senior middle hitter), Jadyn Garrison (junior outside hitter) and Lauren Galvin (junior outside hitter) lead the Raptors, who finished second to Stillwater in the Suburban East Conference standings last year. The Raptors have just one state tournament appearance (in 2010), in no small part because they play in Class 3A, Section 3 with perennial power Eagan.
Anderson said he expects Mounds View to be a difficult opponent. The Mustangs reached the Class 3A, Section 4 semifinals in 2017.