The Minneota Vikings celebrating getting their conference championship trophy after defeating the MACCRAY Wolverines on Monday evening.

MINNEOTA — The Minneota Vikings are now the Camden Conference champions after defeating the MACCRAY Wolverines in four sets 29-27, 13-25, 25-14, and 25-15 on Monday evening. This is the fifth consecutive conference championship won by the Vikings.

In the first set, it was a back-and-forth affair. The biggest lead for each team was two points. The Wolverines had a chance to close out the set on three different occasions but failed to do so. The Vikings would get one opportunity to close out the Wolverines in set one and would do so, 29-27. Ella Johnson led the way for the Vikings with six kills in the first set.

However, the second set was a different story.

The Wolverines came out on fire and dominated the second set with sheer hustle and execution of where to put the ball for points. They easily closed out set two and had the Vikings on their heels. Sydney Thein for the Wolverines dominated set two having 13 kills alone from both sets and led her team to tie up the match at one set apiece.

In the third set, the Wolverines again jumped out to an early lead feeding off the momentum of their play and the crowd that was on hand forcing the Vikings to call two timeouts early in set three

From then on, it was all Minneota

They would go on a 21-5 run closing out the Wolverines and earning a two-set lead heading into the fourth. Ireland Stassen and Elivia Faris led the way with kills and taking advantage of Wolverine errors in the contest

Down two sets to one, the Wolverines would show no quit and kept battling taking several early leads in the set. Ultimately though, the Vikings would seize control and go on another huge run to close out set four and the match.

“When we pass well, we are a hard team to defend and we’re a much better team,” Head coach Hayley Fruin said. “In those first two sets, we didn’t pass well. I think MACCRAY served really aggressively and got us out of the system to the point that we were gassed, and credit to them for that. I think in sets three and four, we relaxed, we were in the system more and our setters were able to spread the ball around effectively.”

Fruin added that they’re things the team still needs to work on and will use the match tomorrow and practice leading up to the sections to correct those mistakes

The Minneota Vikings are now (26-3) and will host the Renville County West Jaguars to close out the regular season schedule on Tuesday evening.

Minneota 3, MACCRAY 1

MIN 29 13 25 25

MAC 27 25 14 15

Kills: Minneota (Johnson 13; Faris 11; Stassen 9)

Digs: Minneota (Sussner 14; Stassen 7; Rolbiecki 7; Johnson 6)

Set assists: Minneota (Stassen 24; N. Hennen 12)

Serving (aces): Minneota (Sussner 3; Rolbiecki 2; Stassen 1; D. Hennen 1)