The match set up just right: No. 2 seed Lakeville North, a team with storied success in high school volleyball, against No. 1 seed Lakeville South, the team ranked first in Class 4A by the Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association.
The powerhouses and crosstown rivals played down to the fifth set in the Section 1 championship match Saturday at the Mayo Clinic Center, and they drew that out to the 20th point until Lakeville South won 18-25, 25-18, 25-19, 18-25, 20-18.
Lakeville South (29-2) will make its third trip to the state tournament, the school’s first since 2018. The Class 4A tournament begins Wednesday at Xcel Energy Center and plays down to a championship match Saturday night. The Class 3A quarterfinals also begin Wednesday, and Classes 2A and 1A begin state tournament play Thursday.
With the win, Lakeville South completed a 2024 sweep of Lakeville North (26-4) after beating the Panthers 3-1 earlier in the season.
