APPLE VALLEY — The top-ranked Marshall volleyball team took down No. 3 Northfield in its final match of the Eagle Invitational on Saturday to take seventh place in the field of some of the top teams in Class 3A and 4A.

The Drake sisters had a big day for the Tigers in their 25-23, 25-18 sweep of Northfield. Reese and Kennedy finished the match tied for a team-high seven assists. Reese also had an ace and her seven kills were also second to Brielle Riess’ 10.

Riess and Brooke Gillingham also each had a block and five digs. Gillingham finished the match with 25 set assists for the Tigers while Avery Fahl had a pair of blocks.

The Tigers were knocked down to the seventh-place match after falling short against Lakeville South, the No. 4 team in Class AAAA. 

The Tigers and Cougars met earlier in the season with Lakeville South winning in straight sets, 26-24, 25-17, in the Southwest Challenge in Marshall. Prior to the Eagle Invite, it was Marshall’s only loss of the season. Marshall took the first game on Saturday, 25-23, but the Cougars took the next two games by scores of 25-18, 15-8. 

Kennedy Drake and Jayda Bednarek led the Marshall back row with 10 and seven digs respectively while Brielle Riess added five and a team-high 12 kills. Riess’ three blocks were also a high-water mark in the loss.

The Tigers were consistent with their service in the match. Their four leading servers — Lydia Moore, Kennedy Drake, Riess and Bednarek — combined to go 31-of-33 from the service line on the night. 

Gillingham finished the match with 20 set assists.

Marshall opened the tournament with a 25-13, 25-16 win over the hosting Apple Valley Eagles before falling in three games to Class AAAA No. 3 Champlin Park. 

Like the Lakeview South match, Marshall took the first game 25-21 before the Rebels stormed back with 25-19 and 17-15 wins to close out the match.

Marshall served exceptionally well in its first two matches of the tournament. Moore and Gillingham finished the opener with four and three aces respectively while Bednarek added three more against Champlin Park. Gillingham also had 45 set assists across the two matches. 

Kenzie Olson led the Tigers at the net with two blocks in each of the matches. Fahl also had two blocks and six kills against Apple Valley and added another block against Champlin Park. 

Bednarek had at least a share of the team-high in digs in the two matches, finishing with eight against Apple Valley and tying Kennedy Drake with nine against Champlin Park. Drake also had seven digs in the early match.

Riess led Marshall in kills in both matches, finishing with 11 against the Eagles and 12 against the Rebels. Reese Drake finished second in kills in the late match with six. 

Marshall (12-3) has won 68 consecutive matches against teams in Class AAA with its last loss coming against Minneota at the 2021 Southwest Challenge. They’ll look to keep that streak going when they go on the road to face Mankato West tonight at 7:15 p.m.