Lakeville North defeats Eagan for Class 3A volleyball title

It had been a little over a month since Lakeville North had last played Eagan, a straight-sets loss that was the second time this season the Panthers had been defeated by Wildcats. They decided then it wouldn't happen again.

Lakeville North made that vow a reality Saturday, defeating top-seeded and No. 1-ranked Eagan 25-20, 21-25, 25-20, 25-23 to win the Class 3A state championship. It's the third Class 3A title for the Lakeville North program and first since 2012.

"Since we played them, we've put in the extra work and extra grit and developed even more as players," senior middle hitter Kennedy Brady said. "We never let a practice go to waste."

Eagan, the two-time defending champion, could tell quickly that this time the Panthers were not going away. Lakeville North's commitment to front row defense was evident from the outset, putting up a strong block and forcing Eagan out of its system.

"We knew everything had to go toward the ball, any which way to get the ball up," Brady said. "Every single person had the mind-set that this ball is not going to drop."

Meanwhile, Panthers junior Elizabeth Juhnke was soaring on the left side, putting monstrous swings on the ball that were too much for Eagan's back row defense. The Panthers used a 7-1 run midway through the first set to establish control and rode that lead to a 25-20 first-set victory. It was the first time a team had taken a set from Eagan in the tournament.

Juhnke had six kills in the first set and finished with a match-high 24 kills.

Eagan responded in the second set, rallying to win 25-21, but that just delayed the result.

Lakeville North regained the lead in the third set, relentlessly setting Juhnke and playing airtight defense that frustrated Eagan. The Wildcats, unaccustomed to being defended so thoroughly, began sitting back on their heels.

Lakeville North won the third set 25-20 as Juhnke wouldn't be denied on an attack, going up three times before she put the final point down.

By the fourth set, Lakeville North was operating smoothly, sending everything back, serving with accuracy and controlling Eagan's attack.

Conversely, the Wildcats became prone to errors as they tried desperately to regain momentum. They pulled to within a point, 16-15, by leaning on their two best players — McKenna Melville and Kennedi Orr — but even that duo couldn't withstand the Panthers' tide of momentum.

"They played outstanding. Every position, from serve receive to defense to outside hitters, they were spot-on," Gillen said. "They made very few errors and we made a lot of errors. They came and played lose and ready to play."