Another win for the lakers!!!

LAKER MASCOTS (AKA Michael and Buster)

Just another sweep for the top-ranked Prior Lake volleyball team.

The Lakers dominated No. 3 Lakeville South in a South Suburban Conference home match Oct. 13, winning 25-23, 25-17, 25-17 to earn its 16th straight victory.

Prior Lake (23-3 overall, 6-1 in the SSC) has won 14 of the those 16 matches by sweep, including its last 12.

The Lakers have just two matches left before they can start to focus on the Section 2AAA tournament. The Lakers are at Farmington Oct. 20 and home to No. 5 Rosemount Oct. 22. Both SSC competitions start at 7 p.m.

The Lakers trail No. 2 Eagan in the SSC standings by one game, while Rosemount is also 6-1.

Eagan beat the Lakers in four sets (25-22, 23-25, 25-18, 25-22) back on Sept. 15. Prior Lake hasn't lost since.

Prior Lake also avenged an earlier loss to Lakeville South. The Cougars beat the Lakers in title match at the Southwest Minnesota Challenge Sept. 12 in three sets (15-25, 25-23, 16-14).

In the rematch, senior Ella Francis led the way for the Lakers with 14 kills, giving her a team-best 350 on the season. She also added 10 digs.

Sophomore Kayla Bair added 10 kills and three blocks, while junior Anna Martin chipped in seven kills and sophomore Maddy Bremer had five.

Junior Ellie Veldman paced the offense with 34 setting assists, adding two blocks. Senior Danielle Sorensen had two of the Lakers' four ace serves, while adding 11 digs.

Sophomore CC McGraw led in digs with 26, while sophomore Hannah Reis added 10.

The Section 2AAA tournament starts Oct. 28 with the first round. The Lakers are lock for a bye in the first round and almost certain to be the No. 1 overall seed. Quarterfinal play starts Oct. 30.

Fourth-ranked Eden Prairie and No. 6 Chaska are also in the field and look to be the next two seeds. Prior Lake has swept both teams so far this season.

The Lakers are 5-0 against section foes, also sweeping Marshall, Shakopee and Chanhassen.

Last year, Chaska beat the Lakers by sweep in the section title match. The Lakers finished with a program-best 27 wins, a mark they can eclipse this fall by winning the Section 2AAA crown.