After a flurry of kills to take over the second set against Eastview, Shakopee's Maddie Fratzke and Aryana Forsberg credited Payton Marker for their success.

"I feel like our setter Payton was pushing the sets out far, so we could get to them and see the blocks," said Forsberg, a sophomore middle hitter. “She’s good at setting us when she knows we’re open, so we can get the kill.”

Marker saw the need against an Eastview team that lists six girls at 5-foot-9 or taller.

“They had some pretty good blockers, so I had to spread the offense,” Marker said. “It was really nice that I have a lot of people to set to who could put it down.”

It helped Shakopee take control in a 3-0 sweep over Eastview to stay above .500 in South Suburban Conference play. After winning the first set 25-22, the Sabers (12-6, 3-2) broke a 5-5 tie in the second set with a 9-0 run on their way to a 25-14 win. They sealed the match with a 25-19 win in the third.

With set two tied 5-5, Forsberg had three kills while Fratzke had two kills and a block assist in a 9-0 run by the Sabers to pull away 14-5. Eastview never recovered in the 9-point set loss.

"I feel like we started coming together and working as a team," said Fratzke, a junior outside hitter.

Shakopee ran a 5-1 rotation for the second time in a row this season, an adjustment that features Marker's setting ability. The Sabers had normally gone with two setters but saw an advantage in the move.

Sabers coach Matt Bush said Marker has been the sole setter in club volleyball and has the talent to do it. The 5-7 junior also had been a main setter for the Sabers last season.

"She knows how to get people to feel confident," Fratzke said.

Shakopee, ranked No. 7 in the Class 3A state coaches' poll, came into Thursday 2-2 in its past four matches. The Sabers made it two wins in a row with after fending off an Eastview team that wouldn't go away in the third set.

Eastview (7-7, 3-2) never led until the final set. The Lightning's longest lead started with a dual block by senior middle hitter Leah Melchior and freshman outside hitter Tia Diamond to make it 6-4.

Eastview twice stretched the lead to four with the last time being 9-5. Shakopee soon tied it up 10-10 with a kill by Fratzke.

"We all just said to each other ... 'Let's play our game [and] like stop making silly errors,'" Fratzke said.

A kill from Gophers recruit Rachel Kilkelly helped her team stay ahead. While the senior outside hitter draws many teams' focus, Fratzke and Forsberg said they expect everyone else to produce, too.

Fratzke put the Sabers ahead 12-10 in the third with a kill, and the Lightning never came closer than a point again. Junior middle hitter Lauren Aus delivered a kill for a 15-12 advantage. The Sabers stayed ahead by at least three points the rest of the way.

Shakopee players hope the momentum will carry into the heart of the conference season.

“We really have to step our game up and connect,” Marker said.