Holy Angels, Maple Lake, North Branch and Marshall advance in Class 2A state quarterfinals

Holy Angels got off to a rough start. The Stars served tight, couldn't pass the ball and hit into opposing blockers, according to coach Tom Emanuel.

"We were playing it safe," he said. "I mean, let's be honest, we were horrible in the first set."

Luckily, his team made adjustments and came back from a 2-1 set deficit to defeat No. 5-seeded Kasson-Mantorville in five sets, 15-25, 25-22, 14-25, 25-22, 15-13, on Thursday in the Class 2A quarterfinals at Xcel Energy Center.

Stars senior Ellie Koontz credited the KoMets' composure and their preparedness for the tough match.

"They were just a little more prepared," Koontz said. "We started off shaky but then we got used to it."

The Stars really found their rhythm in the second set, using a 13-2 run to turn a five-point deficit into a 23-17 lead. In the back-and-forth match it turned out to be, the KoMets answered with five more points before the Stars prevailed and evened the match.

In the fifth set, the KoMets won a marathon point to get within one at 12-11, but that was as close as they got. The Stars wanted to stay ahead in the fifth set, being the first team to five, 10 and 15 points, Koontz said.

The two teams met in at an invitational in September, with the Stars winning 25-21, 25-19. Back then the KoMets were without junior Peyton Suess, who registered a match-high 32 kills and 17 digs.

"The funny thing is, looking at the stat sheet [Thursday], we beat them in every statistical category," KoMets coach Adam VanOort said. "Every single one."

The KoMets hit at a higher percentage (.251 to .185), had 89 digs to 87 for the Stars and led in blocks 12-3.

Maple Lake 3, Kenyon-Wanamingo 0: Top-seed and defending champion Maple Lake (34-0) stayed undefeated with a 25-19, 25-18, 25-22 victory. Senior Linsey Rachel finished the first and third sets with decisive kills as part of her 18-kill match.

The Knights got close in the second and third sets, tying the score at 16-all in the second, before the Irish pulled away.

Marshall 3, Roseau 0: Sophomore Logan Sherman had 20 set assists, four kills and six digs for the No. 2-seeded Tigers in a 25-22, 25-13, 25-19 sweep of Roseau.

Marshall last won a state title in 2013.