Photo by Jake McNeill: Marshall outside hitter Reese Drake (left) and Jayda Bednarek (right) react after a point during the Tiger volleyball team’s Section 2AAA quarterfinals matchup against New Ulm in Marshall on Oct. 25.

ST. PAUL — After their second consecutive regular season undefeated against Class 3A or lower competition, the Marshall volleyball team has earned the top seed in the state tournament and will look to earn their third consecutive state title. That quest starts with tonight’s Class 3A quarterfinals matchup against DeLaSalle.

Marshall enters the state tournament on a four-match winning streak at 27-5. Of their five losses, three came against Class 4A No. 6 Lakeville Southand two came across Class 4A No. 3 Champlin Park.

The Tigers’ last loss against in-class or lower competition came in 2021 in a 2-1 loss to Minneota in the Southwest Minnesota Challenge. They haven’t lost a best-of-five-sets match against 3A or lower competition since 2019 in the state quarterfinals against Belle Plaine, 3-1.

DeLaSalle hasn’t had the same degree of dominance this season. They enter the tournament at 15-15, going unseeded as a random draw.

The Crusaders lost five of their last six regular-season matches but caught fire when they needed to. They started the Section 3AAA tournament with a five-set win over St. Paul Highland Park, swept Minneapolis Roosevelt and took down Visitation 3-2 in the section championship after being swept by the Blazers in the regular season.

The Blazers and Tigers also met in the quarterfinals last season with Marshall as the top seed at 20-3 on the season and DeLaSalle as a random draw at 13-13. Marshall won the matchup in straight sets, 25-10, 25-4, 25-4.

Brielle Riess, Morgan Bjella and Kennedy Drake are the only Tigers that played multiple sets in last year’s matchup and return for this season. Riess and Bjella each had a pair of kills in last year’s matchup. Riess also had a dig and a solo block.

With another year of experience under their belt, the two seniors have continued to thrive. Riess’ 414 kills and 47 service aces are both team-highs. Her 31 ace blocks are also second on the team to Avery Fahl’s 47. Bjella has also tallied 275 kills and 20 blocks, good for second and fourth on the team respectively.

Photo by Jake McNeill: Morgan Bjella (left) and Avery Fahl (right) jump up to block a shot during the Tigers’ Section 2AAA semifinals matchup against Willmar in Marshall on Oct. 27.

Photo by Jake McNeill: Morgan Bjella (left) and Avery Fahl (right) jump up to block a shot during the Tigers’ Section 2AAA semifinals matchup against Willmar in Marshall on Oct. 27.

Leading the back row, Drake has transitioned into the libero role for this year’s team. She had six digs in last year’s quarterfinals but has averaged more than double that number per match this season with a team-high 430 digs in 32 matches.

Reese Drake has also risen to the occasion in her first year as a varsity player. The sophomore outside hitter has been extremely versatile for the Tigers; her 254 kills are good for third on the Tigers’ roster and her 226 digs trail only Kennedy Drake and Jayda Bednarek’s 245.

If the aforementioned players didn’t have the Tigers looking loaded enough already, Brooke Gillingham has also been steller after stepping in as the team’s setter this season. She’s tallied 1004 sets this season in her varsity debut and just 49 setting errors on 2597 attempts. In terms of defensive play, she’s also fifth on the team with 196 digs and has registered six ace blocks.

Photo by Jake McNeill: Marshall setter Brooke Gillingham (14) and Avery Fahl (1) high-five after a point while Brielle Riess (middle) reacts during the Tigers’ win over New Ulm in the Section 2AAA quarterfinals in Marshall on Oct. 25.

Photo by Jake McNeill: Marshall setter Brooke Gillingham (14) and Avery Fahl (1) high-five after a point while Brielle Riess (middle) reacts during the Tigers’ win over New Ulm in the Section 2AAA quarterfinals in Marshall on Oct. 25.

A win for the Tigers would put the team one step closer to a three-peat. Last year’s state championship was Marshall’s eighth, all of which have come since 2004 under coach Dan Westby. While they already have more than any other school in Minnesota history, they appear once again to be poised to make a run at another title.

The Tigers have only missed the state tournament three times since 2000. During that stretch of 19 tournament appearances, they have made the state finals 13 times and have won at least one match in either the championship or consolation bracket every time.

Marshall and DeLaSalle will take Court No. 2 at the Xcel Energy Center at 5 p.m. tonight. The winner will take on the winner of No. 3 Detroit Lakes and No. 5 Grand Rapids on Friday at 9 a.m. on Court 1 while the losers will play at the same time on Court 2.