“I’m so proud to see that this team didn’t hang their heads after the injuries in the first round. They were determined and we really showed that it’s a team sport,” Anderson said. 

The Raptors blistering offense came from a number of players, but senior Mikayla McDougall especially shined. Her 19 kills on the night were a game-high and McDougall also served two key aces that helped her team control the lead, especially in the second set which the Raptors won 25-15.  

It wasn’t just the offense that carried the game for the Raptors. They came up with some key defensive stops that only helped pad their leads. Senior libero Ellenor Crimmins was all over the court on the defensive side. She came up with a team-high 18 digs.  

Despite losing to Rosemount earlier in the season, the Raptors went into the Section 3 Final with clear heads.  

“They’ve (Rosemount) been playing really well down the stretch, and they’ve had some injuries as well during the season,” Anderson said. “We knew we were going to get their best after their tough, five-set win against a battled-tested Eagan team. It was a huge win for them, so we know we beat a really good team.” 

Despite the match sweep, the Irish put their talent on full display. They were especially good defensively, led by eighth-grade libero Estella Garcia. She led her team with nine digs on the night. The Irish also showed some flashes on the offensive side as well, although it was not enough to top the quick runs from East Ridge.  

Junior Reis Baune led the way for the Irish with 11 kills and senior Mya Cinnamo was close behind with nine. However, it wasn’t enough to top the Raptors, who copied their win over the Irish in last year’s Class 4A, Section 3 semifinal. 

Now, East Ridge looks ahead to the Class 4A State Championship. In 2021, the Raptors made a run to the State Final but ultimately lost to the powerhouse Wayzata program in four sets. This was something the team wanted to set straight this season. 

“The 2021 season was the first time since 2010 this school was there (the state final) so we got a taste for it and I think all the girls wanted to get back there. Sure it’s been a focus, but our slogan for the year was ‘Be Great Today.’ We know where we want to get to but we have to chip away at it each and every day,” Anderson said.  

The Raptors will now be drawn into the Class 4A quarterfinals, which begin Nov. 9, and have a chance to get back to get a second taste of state.  

“I thought overall this season, we’ve had an aggressive but steady growth as a team. We played against some great teams so I’m just really, really proud of this team,” Anderson said.