The Prior Lake volleyball team is heading back to the state tournament for the first time in eight years after an impressive postseason run that saw the Lakers dominate their section opponents without dropping a single set.
Entering section play with an 18–10 record and the No. 2 seed, Prior Lake cruised past Shakopee (3–0) in the opening round and followed with another sweep over Eden Prairie (3–0) in the semifinals.
In the Section 2AAAA championship, the Lakers stunned top-seeded Chanhassen — ranked No. 4 in the state and a powerhouse all season — with yet another 3–0 victory to claim the title.
The championship match featured a balanced offensive attack, with senior Addison Barbo (11 kills), sophomore Brielle Gunderson (12), freshman Olivia Arlt (10) and senior Dylan Raveling (9) all contributing to the win. Setting duties were shared between junior Ryah Cotton (21 assists) and senior Katie Westerholm (16), while senior Sidney Burley, a Ms. Baden finalist for Minnesota’s state player of the year, led the defense with 19 digs.
Coming into the postseason, the Lakers finished the regular season ranked No. 18 across all classes and third in the South Suburban Conference with a 7–2 league record. Now 21–10 overall, Prior Lake earned the No. 3 seed in the Class AAAA state tournament and will face the No. 6 seed Centennial in the opening round at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul — the newly renamed Xcel Energy Center.
The winner of that matchup will advance to the state semifinals at 11 a.m. Thursday to face the winner between No. 2 East Ridge and No. 7 Apple Valley. The state championship is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday at Grand Casino Arena. Fellow South Suburban Conference foe Lakeville South enters the tournament as the top seed.
Adding to the season’s list of honors, assistant coach Ryan Wagner was named Section 2AAAA Assistant Coach of the Year — a well-earned recognition for his role in guiding this squad. Burley was named one of the Minnesota Star Tribune’s top 25 players in the state and an All-State Player by the Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association.
With momentum firmly on their side, the Lakers will look to carry their hot streak into state tournament.
