Matt Busch is in his 23rd year leading Shakopee. Kathy Gillen is in her 28th season coaching at Eagan. With all that experience, and the fact their teams met in a five-set thriller just a couple of weeks ago, you can almost see the two of them — each dressed in white lab coats and with beakers and test tubes in hands — cooking up some concoction that will ensure victory in the rematch.
Of course, it’s the players who determine the outcome — players such as Shakopee’s senior co-captain and middle hitter Aryana Forsberg and Eagan’s 6-foot-5 junior middle hitter Kendal Kemp.
Forsberg and the Sabers, ranked No. 3 in the Class 3A state coaches' poll from Nov. 1, won the Oct. 14 meeting with the No. 2-3A Wildcats 25-18, 28-26, 25-27, 11-25, 15-7.
Shakopee (4-1, 4-1) suffered a 3-0 loss to No. 5-3A Lakeville South on Oct. 21 — its most recent outing.
Eagan (6-1, 6-1) is playing without star senior setter Kennedi Orr (ACL injury) and is coming off a 3-0 rout of Rosemount on Oct. 28.