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MARSHALL -- With the regular season winding down, area volleyball teams learned their postseason paths as section tournament brackets were released, setting up several matchups with a trip to the state tournament on the line.
Marshall earned the No. 1 seed in Section 2AAA and will begin its postseason run at home against No. 8 New Ulm on Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. The Tigers will look to continue their strong season and earn another trip to Grand Casino Arena for the state tournament.
If Marshall advances, it will face the winner of the matchup between No. 4 Mankato East and No. 5 St. Peter on Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. The higher seed will host that contest.
A win in the second round would send Marshall to the Section 2AAA championship game on Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. at Redwood Valley High School. The winner of that match will earn the section's state tournament berth.
The Tigers enter the postseason as the top seed ahead of No. 2 Willmar, which Marshall swept in Willmar earlier this season. With the top seed, Marshall will open at home and needs three victories to claim the section championship.
Section 3A features several area matchups
The Section 3A bracket includes several area teams, with Minneota and Russell-Tyler-Ruthton earning the top seeds in their respective sub-sections.
Minneota received the No. 1 seed in the North Sub-Section and a first-round bye. The Vikings will host the winner of the Oct. 26 matchup between No. 8 Yellow Medicine East and No. 9 Dawson-Boyd. That game is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Yellow Medicine East in Granite Falls.
Minneota will play its first postseason match on its home court Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. The winner will advance to the North Sub-Section's second round on Nov. 2 at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall.
On the other side of the North Sub-Section bracket, No. 4 Lakeview will host No. 5 MACCRAY on Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. The winner will advance to face the winner of Minneota's opening match.
Canby earned the No. 7 seed and will host No. 10 Lac qui Parle Valley on Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. The winner will travel to No. 2 Central Minnesota Christian in Prinsburg for a first-round matchup on Oct. 30 at 7 p.m.
No. 3 Renville County West will host No. 6 Wabasso on Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. The winner will advance to the North Sub-Section's second round Nov. 2 at SMSU.
The North Sub-Section's second-round matches are scheduled for 5:30 and 7 p.m. Nov. 2 at SMSU, with the matchups determined by the results of the opening round.
RTR, TMB and WWG lead the South Sub-Section
Russell-Tyler-Ruthton earned the No. 1 seed in the South Sub-Section and will receive a first-round bye. RTR will host the winner of the Oct. 26 matchup between No. 8 Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda and No. 9 Red Rock Central. That match is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Fulda.
RTR's first postseason match will take place Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. in Tyler. The winner will advance to the South Sub-Section's second round Nov. 2 at Pipestone Area High School.
No. 4 Murray County Central will host No. 5 Tracy-Milroy-Balaton on Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. The winner will move on to the second round, where the South Sub-Section's matches will be played at 5:30 and 7 p.m. Nov. 2 at Pipestone Area High School.
Westbrook-Walnut Grove earned the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye. The Chargers will host the winner of the Oct. 26 matchup between No. 7 Hills-Beaver Creek and No. 10 Edgerton. That opening-round match is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Hills-Beaver Creek in Hills.
WWG will play the winner on Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. in Westbrook. The winner will advance to the South Sub-Section's second round Nov. 2 at Pipestone Area High School.
The South Sub-Section final is scheduled for Nov. 5 at SMSU in Marshall at 5:30 p.m., while the North Sub-Section final will follow at 7 p.m. The Section 3A championship match is scheduled for Nov. 7 at SMSU at 5 p.m., with the winner advancing to the state tournament.