Lakeville South conquered Class 4A again.
The Cougars won their second consecutive state volleyball championship on Saturday night at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul with a sweep of third-seeded Prior Lake.
Crucial contributions from senior outside hitter Romi Chlebecek and junior setter Kaelyn Bjorklund lifted Lakeville South to the summit. Chlebecek paced the Cougars with 17 kills and Bjorklund quarterbacked the offense with a match-high 39 assists.
The Cougars climbed to the top of the mountain for the first time in program history last season with a five-set win over Champlin Park. A year later, Lakeville South returned to St. Paul with its sights set on a repeat state title — one that ended quicker this time with the Cougars winning 25-17, 25-15, 25-19.
It was longer journey to Grand Casino Arena for Prior Lake, which had not made the state tournament since 2017.
The first set lived up to the billing as the Cougars and Lakers traded leads. Lakeville South created separation midway through the set with a 15-12 advantage after Chlebecek blasted a ball through Prior Lake’s block.
Lakeville South’s 7-0 scoring run, after being knotted at 12, ballooned its lead, and the Cougars never looked back. It was a commanding Set 1 win, thanks to Chlebecek’s seven kills and the Lakers’ lackluster offense, hitting just .028.
It was more of the same in the second set as Cougars junior outside hitter Elleora Utecht’s third kill of the frame put Lakeville South up 8-3 and forced a Lakers timeout.
Bjorklund’s cross-court swing helped Lakeville South double up Prior Lake 18-9 further strengthening the Cougars’ grip on the state title match. The two-match advantage was the same they held a year ago against the Rebels.
Hints of a third-set letdown crept to the forefront as Prior Lake jumped out to an 8-2 lead out of the gates. Lakers senior libero Sidney Burley’s service ace gave Prior Lake its largest lead of the night at six points.
The Cougars came crawling back, tying the match at 13 before a service ace by freshman outside hitter Kate Utecht gave Lakeville South its first lead of the third set.
One glimpse of daylight in Set 3 was all it took for the Cougars to kick it into second gear. Lakeville South wrapped up its title on a 12-5 run.
Apple Valley beat Roseville in four sets in the third-place match. Ginny Gores had 17 kills for Apple Valley, while Sophia Cowan added 16.
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