Photo by Samantha Davis. Canby's Jaryn Houseman digs in the second set against against MACCRAY Tuesday evening at Southwest Minnesota State University in the Section 3A quarterfinals. The Lancers swept the Wolverines and move to the semifinals on Friday.

MARSHALL — A team total of 38 set assists and 56 digs gave the second-seeded Canby volleyball team a 3A North semifinals sweep over No. 3 MACCRAY Tuesday evening by scores of 25-18, 25-17 and 25-17 at the R/A Facility at Southwest Minnesota State University.

“We have high goals. I am really proud of the girls, how they came out and played solid, consistent volleyball,” Canby head coach Jenai Wright said. “Our service receive looked really good today, and they served tough … They deserve a great 3-0 win.”

MACCRAY and Canby have built up some rivalry over the regular season and entered Tuesday with a 1-1 record against one another. The Wolverines first saw the Lancers at the Burnsville Tournament on Sept. 21, and left with 2-1 win. Canby returned the favor shortly after on Sept. 26 with a 3-2 victory. All sets in both matches were decided by six or less points.

“I was kind of surprised the girls came out very calm, but we knew it would be a battle,” Wright said. “We are not comfortable, even if we’re up by only a few points, because once you get to this point in the Section 3A, it is tough volleyball. I’m really proud, we haven’t played like that for a while, where we just were driven and confident.”

The game started with a 10-10 tie in the first set, with the Lancers and Wolverines feeding off each other and not letting an early lead take place.

That was until Canby found its rhythm and started on a 6-0 run to extend to a 16-10 advantage with help from an assisted block by Emily Nelson and Karli Weber, a pair of Wolverine errors on an attack and receive, and a Karlie Wollum kill.

Nelson and Wollum each finished with a double-double performance. Nelson led with 19 assists along with 11 digs, nine kills and five service aces. Wollum had a team-high 19 kills with 10 digs.

MACCRAY continued to have trouble with service receives in addition to a few more Nelson and Wollum kills, but were able to cut its deficit to three.

However, an overserve helped Canby keep its 22-16 edge and forced the Wolverines to call a timeout.

The Lancers final three points in the first set came from a Nelson and Wollum kill and a MACCRAY attacking error.

The second set was much like the first, beginning with a 7-7 tie. Still, Canby continued to take advantage of errors the Wolverines continued to struggle with.

Several Lancers got involved to help continue its momentum with kills from Nelson, Wollum, Grace Hansen and Brynn Kockelman.

Kockelman had five kills on the night and 17 assists, while Hansen logged six digs and a pair of kills.

“When you can pass the ball, there’s so many options in the front row,” Wright said. “We were able to get a little bit more touches … But, I think our defense just stepped it up tonight, and it was just awesome volleyball.”

With a 23-17 Canby lead, the final two points came from a MACCRAY serving error and a block at the net from Kockelman.

The Wolverines tried to force a fourth set and took an early 7-5 lead over Canby before Wright called a timeout.

MACCRAY kept a 2-point lead over the next few possessions, until Canby found its footing again to jump to a 15-11 lead. Nelson, Wollum and Hansen each spiked another kill while the back row continued to be protected by Aliyah Rangaard and Jaryn Houseman.

“These [defensive specialists], they don’t get a lot of credit. You see all the kills … You might see some rock stars on the block or a serve, but boy, [our defensive specialists] are saving us,” Wright said. “When they go for the ball, we know it’s going to be on the setter’s head and it’s going to be a good play.”

Rangaard finished with a team-high 13 digs and Houseman tallied eight.

The feeling of solidifying a place in the semifinals began to sink in for Canby as it built a 20-13 advantage while the players and coaching staff could be seen cheering even louder as the fan section filled the gymnasium with, ‘I believe that we will win,’ chants.

The sweep was officially decided after a Weber kill, a MACCRAY attacking error and a Rangaard service ace.

Rangaard hit three aces throughout the match.

“This is a very coachable crew. We really practiced this year to shake it off. You know, body language is important, and we know that we’re going to get the next play,” Wright said. “So, we need to play with confidence, and tonight we showed that.”

In a repeat scenario of last year’s section tournament, Canby eliminated MACCRAY also with a sweep to advance to the semifinals against first-seed Minneota, which the team will now be facing next on Thursday at 7 p.m. at SMSU to fight for a spot in the championship game.

The Lancers now sit at 24-6 on the season, and Minneota has a 22-10 record after sweeping Renville County West Tuesday night.

The Vikings beat Canby 3-2 in last year’s semifinals Canby claiming each of the first two sets, and Minneota has an edge on the Lancers so far this season, with a sweep on Oct. 1.

“We’ll be ready, I think it’s gonna be a great match on Thursday night,” Wright said. “Both teams have really strong strengths, but we want to be on the upper hand and keep going one game at a time.”