Posted: Tuesday, August 9, 2016 7:30 am
The Class 3A preseason volleyball poll has been released and Prior Lake opened in the state spot it finished last season — No. 2.
The Lakers are one of four South Suburban Conference teams ranked in the top 10, along with three from Section 2AAA. Preseason polls don't mean much come November, but they are something to talk about right now.
Volleyball practices open up throughout the state Aug. 15 and the Lakers' top goal this fall will be to get back to the Class 3A state tournament and go one step further. Eagan beat Prior Lake in five sets in last year's title match (29-17, 25-23, 15-25, 16-25, 15-13). The Wildcats are ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll.
Third-ranked Lakeville South and seventh-ranked Shakopee are also ranked from the SSC, while the Sabers and No. 8 Eden Prairie are also part of Section 2AAA. The Lakers beat Shakopee in last year's section final in three sets.
The rest of the preseason poll includes: Champlin Park and Wayzata tied at No. 4, Roseville at No. 6, Hopkins at No. 9 and North St. Paul at No. 10. Earning votes in the poll were Chaska (from Section 2AAA), East Ridge, Blaine, Cretin-Derham Hall and Osseo.
Prior Lake lost five seniors from last year's team that had a program-best 29 wins (29-5). The Lakers made their first-ever state appearance.
Meanwhile, Eagan returns its entire core from last year. The Wildcats won the SSC last year (9-0), finishing a game ahead of the Lakers (8-1). Eagan has played in 12 state tournaments since 1996, also winning state titles in 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003 and 2013.
Prior Lake will have to replace Ella Francis from last year. She was a Ms. Volleyball finalist and also one of 14 players on the Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association all-state team and is playing Division I at Illinois State University.
CC McGraw was also all-state last fall as she had a huge sophomore season for the Lakers.
McGraw led Prior Lake last year in ace serves with 46. And, in her first season as libero, she set the single-season school mark for digs with 584. The old mark was set in 2014 by Brittany Luethmers (511), who is the all-time digs leader in Minnesota State High School history with 2,106.
Senior Ellie Veldman will be back at setter. Last year, she set a new Lakers' single-season assists mark with 997. The old mark was 791 set by Kathryn Gaydos in 2009.
Others back who are expected to make a big impact for Prior Lake include: Junior Kayla Bair (215 kills, 70 blocks last year), junior Maddy Bremer (105 kills, 57 blocks), senior Anna Martin (165 kills), senior Lauren Kiewiet (89 kills), junior Hannah Reis (154 digs, 19 ace serves), senior Cassie Herubin and junior Haley Stolt.
Prior Lake will open the season Aug. 25 on the road at Owatonna. The Lakers will get their first ranked opponent Aug. 30 taking on Champlin Park at home.
Prior Lake will face its first section foe Sept. 1 playing at Chaska. The Lakers open the conference season Sept. 13 at home versus Farmington.
Preseason Class 3A Poll
1. Eagan, 2. Prior Lake, 3. Lakeville South,
4. Champlin Park and Wayzata, 6. Roseville,
7. Shakopee, 8. Eden Prairie, 9. Hopkins,
10. North St. Paul
