Momentum in high school sports can change quicker than you can pronounce the word momentum, particularly in girls' volleyball.
The State B last weekend in Sioux Falls was eventually won 3-1 by Warner over Northwestern in Saturday's long-awaited title clash. The defending champion Wildcats had won their first and only set 25-15, but then the Monarchs grabbed the momentum for 25-21, 25-18 and 25-12 victories. Both teams represented the Lake Region Conference, as did yet another LRC member Faulkton with an eventual sixth-place finish in the B. The Trojans had dominated their first two sets over Faith on opening day and appeared to be in control of the third set, reaching 24 points first for a possible match-point opportunity with a double-digit lead.
But Faith captured that elusive momentum at the last possible moment to win the third set to stay alive and then reeled off two more wins, including the fifth-set 15-point tie-breaker. Faulkton then managed its lone win with a relatively easy consolation semifinal victory over Kimball/White Lake. That sent the Trojan girls into Saturday's fifth-place placement match won by Burke 25-15, 25-22 and 25-20.
Saturday's two remaining State B placement matches were won by Faith (topping Chester Area 25-22, 24-26, 25-19 and 25-18) for third and Ethan (over K/WL 3-0) in the seventh-place match.
Meanwhile, the Class A tourney was won by Sioux Falls Christian on Saturday with a 3-0 sweep of Miller. McCook Central/Montrose topped Elk Point-Jefferson 3-1 for third. Parker edged Winner 3-2 for the consolation bragging rights and Aberdeen Roncalli salvaged a seventh-place 3-0 victory over Rapid City Christian.
In Class AA, Rapid City Stevens emerged a 3-0 winner over Sioux Falls Washington in their title match, while Watertown edged Sioux Falls O'Gorman 3-1 for third. Mitchell slipped past Brookings 3-2 for fifth and Sioux Falls Roosevelt finished seventh (3-0 over Huron).
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