Volleyball State Tournament, 2022: Day 1 Recap
Posted: Wednesday, November 9, 2022 - 10:09 PM
Seedings for the most part held true to form on Day 1 of the Minnesota State High School League’s Volleyball State Tournament on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Two of the four enrollment classes completed their quarterfinals in the four-day event that will culminate with championship matches on Saturday. Here is a look at opening day:
Class AAAA
Top-seeded Wayzata took the first step toward what it hopes will be a successful title defense with a 25-20, 25-20, 25-18 victory over unseeded Burnsville. Junior outside hitter Olivia Swenson led a balanced Trojans attack with 14 kills and sophomore middle hitter Katie Kelzenberg added 10. Senior libero Sophia Johnson had 22 digs. Sophomore outside hitter Mesaiya Bettis led the Blaze with 11 kills.
On the adjacent court, No. 5 Rogers outlasted No. 4 Chaska for a 14-25, 25-19, 26-24, 26-24 victory that was tense throughout. Rogers, the Section 8AAAA champion, was paced by senior setter Anya Schmidt, who had 16 kills. Junior libero Alayna Halverson had 40 digs. Chaska had 12 kills apiece from senior middle blocker Avery Rosenberg and senior outside hitter Ella Christ.
In the bottom bracket, No. 2 Lakeville split the first two sets but then had two victories to close it out in recording a 19-25, 25-23, 25-12, 25-20 win over unseeded Centennial. The Panthers earned a spot in the big-school semifinals behind senior outside hitter Emily Ramsay, who had 18 kills. Freshman middle hitter Rayna Christianson and senior setter Sydney Carlson chipped in 11 each. Senior outside hitter Andrea Koslowski had 15 kills for Centennial.
East Ridge, the No. 3 seed, completed the Class AAAA quarterfinals with a 19-25, 25-20, 25-15, 25-20 victory over unseeded Stillwater. It was East Ridge’s second victory over Stillwater this season, the other coming during the Suburban East Conference season. Junior setter Hadley Burger had 17 kills and senior outside hitter Mikayla McDougall added 15. Senior outside hitter Tori Liljegren had 15 kills.
In the first Class AAAA semifinal on Thursday, Wayzata faces Rogers, a team it has defeated twice this season. In the other semifinal, Lakeville North will meet East Ridge. The Panthers also have two victories over East Ridge this season.
Class AAA
Top-seeded Marshall, the Class AAA champion in 2021, opened its title defense with a 25-10, 25-4, 25-4 victory over DeLaSalle, which was making its state tournament debut. Senior middle blocker Randi Wendorff had 16 kills while senior outside hitter Leah Jones added 10.
On the adjacent court, No. 4 Grand Rapids had a straight-set 25-16, 25-17, 25-19 victory over No. 5 Mahtomedi. Junior right-side hitter Haylee Finckbone, senior middle hitter Kate Jamtgaard and senior outside hitter Kyra Giffen had 10 kills each for the Tigers. Senior setter Katherine Arnason had nine kills for the Zephyrs.
Marshall moves onto the semifinals on Friday where it will face Grand Rapids in the first Class AAA match.
The final two matches of Day 1 were arguably the most tense and dramatic as each went the distance. Kasson-Mantorville, the No. 2 seed, topped Detroit Lakes, and then much, later, No. 3 Benilde-St. Margaret’s outlasted Monticello in a match that lasted 2 hours, 37 minutes.
Senior outside hitter Lily Eigner had 22 kills to power Benilde-St. Margaret’s.
