Tigers Clinch 3A Title After Intense Battle

<p>In a Class 3A championship at Grand Casino Arena, the Marshall Tigers captured the state title in four sets against Benilde-St. Margaret's (BSM). The final showcased balanced offense, disciplined defense, and tactical precision from Marshall, while BSM countered with pin firepower and a creative setter-driven offense—most notably a dramatic third-set comeback in which the Red Knights saved nine championship points to force a fourth set. <br></p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Balanced Marshall Defense Defines the Margin</h2>   <p>Marshall turned the momentum in the 1st set with their transition from defense to terminating plays by going off hands. [player_tooltip player_id='809402' first='Kezlyn' last='Pinckney']'s passing in serve receive gave the Tigers a steady first contact, while [player_tooltip player_id='492625' first='Reese' last='Drake'] was aiming for the edges of the block to score and helped fuel a pivotal late run in set 1. Drake strung together aggressive swings, was expertly covering herself to continue play, and pushed Marshall to set point before [player_tooltip player_id='261227' first='Avery' last='Fahl']'s swing off a slide closed out the 1st set win. Marshall often had the read on BSM with a challenging block alignment and defense ready behind it.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Serving Pressure & Scramble Defense</h2>   <p>Pinckney's targeted float serve exploited seams and created miscommunication for the Red Knights, which then produced free balls that Marshall strategically redirected. Marshall's block discipline sealed lanes and channeled swings toward defenders which repeatedly neutralizing BSM's attempts to stay aggressive when out-of-system. In set 2, Pinckney's deep-seam ace and kills by [player_tooltip player_id='644646' first='Julia' last='Fahl'] and Hallie DeVos showcased Marshall's balance beyond its senior hitters. Marshall's defense dictated set 2 and had the Red Knights making conservative choices.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Gritty BSM Saves Nine Championship Points</h2>   <p>In the 3rd set BSM was down 24-19 and they proceeded to deny Marshall their title with resilient backcourt coverage, positive block touches, and clutch swings from [player_tooltip player_id='508163' first='Avery' last='Minor']. [player_tooltip player_id='838044' first='Sela' last='Lynk']'s service run stabilized the Red Knights and initiated extended rallies that Marshall couldn't quite close the door on. BSM emphasized blocking zone six and kept [player_tooltip player_id='509918' first='Sydney' last='Friedly'] involved as a dual-threat—setting a mix of tempo, attacking on two, and creating one-on-ones for Sailor Freedly to reap the benefits. Minor and the Friedly's steadied BSM and took the match to 4.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Reset and Title Time</h2>   <p>In the fourth set Marshall took early control and extended quickly to 17-7 by serving tough, clean first contacts and tempo sets on the slide and to the pins. Drake mixed speeds, sent the ball off the top of the block, and attacked any split of the block. [player_tooltip player_id='644646' first='Julia' last='Fahl']'s serving accuracy and cross-court kills helped Marshall progress in the match. BSM's Minor and [player_tooltip player_id='509917' first='Sailor' last='Friedly'] fueled a come back with line swings and a late serving run. [player_tooltip player_id='812820' first='Eleanor' last='Porisch'] and [player_tooltip player_id='508163' first='Avery' last='Minor'] put up a block that briefly slowed Marshall's march. Marshall's service pressure created a number of issues, and while staying aggressive, the Tigers missed just 2 serves out of 101. Marshall's slide efficiency created persistent matchup advantages for the Tigers and forced BSM's block to chase angle shots to keep the play alive. Marshall consistently turned scrambles into playable offense, and their variety of attackers gave them options around the slide and gap routes. Quality float serves from both sides, forcing a lot of out-of-system swings throughout the match.<br></p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Standouts</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Fahl kicked things off in the first set with 4 kills. She was so consistent and efficient with her slide route and worked different angles to get the job done. It's fitting her high school career ended in this fashion. With 21 kills and only 4 errors on 44 attempts she was swinging a scorching .386. Fahl also added a lot of pressure from the service line and made great decisions in transition. She added 21 assists, 2 aces, and 8 digs to be one of the most productive in her final match as a Marshall Tiger. She also made sure the championship point was a decisive one.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Minor did not hesitate to insert herself into serve receive to bolster BSM's first contact. She was making clutch swings under pressure and running a versatile C-ball along with back-one patterns. There were a few different times she stabilized a run of chaotic points and got her squad back on track. </p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Kinkead was deliberate with her attack and had a pretty terminal swing on Saturday while hitting a .243 hit %. She tallied 12 kills, was sound in serve receive, and added 5 digs to the effort. Kinkead will be one to keep your eye on over the next couple of years.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Porisch was making some impactful blocks and was selective with her swings. She had some blocks late in the match that caused Marshall to pause briefly. Porisch was steady and resolute in her job at the net, and I love players who can embrace their role and get the job done.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">This Fahl executed some perfectly timed swings down the line early in the match. She also had some really well-timed attacks throughout the match, along with accurate sniper-like serving. Fahl contributed 9 kills, 7 digs, and 3 aces in the effort.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">DeVos made her swing at just the right moment to add balance for Marshall beyond their featured attackers. She added an assist, 4 digs, and 1 block. She is another role player who understands how her role impacts her team and embraces it. That's how you win championships.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Pinckney was crucial on first contact and really stabilized Marshall's serve reception. She defined the role of a Libero on Saturday as being steady and stable for the Tigers. Pinckney was giving a lot of effort on coverage, and when she stepped behind the end line, her accurate serving runs opened up some big leads.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Drake added four kills in the first set to establish an early lead. She was using every tool in the book throughout the match, showing a lot of range. Drake mixed line and cross, targeted hands for deflections, and delivered big momentum swings in sets one and three.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Sailor has this great setter-hitter synergy with Sydney. Sydney's tempo locked up opposing blockers and gave Sailor a lot of opportunities to score on the line. Sailor also went on serving bursts to help drive her team forward.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">BSM leaned on Friedly's ability to feed Sailor and Minor with a quick tempo. She did a great job of knowing where the blockers were on the other side and punishing them for committing to an attacker too early by ripping the 2nd contact with her highly efficient lefty swing. Her aggressive style kept blockers honest and created opportunities for tempo balls into the gap for her middles and one-on-one opportunities on the right side.</p>    <p>Marshall's legacy season comes to a close after a wire-to-wire No. 1 season capped by a four-set championship built on depth, discipline, and repeatable high-efficiency patterns. Despite BSM graduating multiple seniors (Waters, Leber, Wojnicz, Black, Block, and Porisch), the return of core offensive pieces and the maturity shown in high-pressure moments signal real contender status next season.</p>   <p>The 3A final delivered championship-grade volleyball with precision, resilience, and tactical nuance. Marshall's combination of serve pressure, attack efficiency, and defensive strategy produced set-by-set control, even as BSM authored a historic third-set escape by saving nine championship points. The title-clinching rally—clean first contact and a confident slide to [player_tooltip player_id='261227' first='Avery' last='Fahl']—embodied Marshall's identity as being prepared, composed, and decisive. For BSM, the blueprint to challenge powerhouses is clear: stabilize first contact, sustain setter-driven tempo, and convert one-on-one opportunities. With both programs well-positioned for the future, Minnesota's 3A landscape will remain compelling and intensely competitive in 2026.</p>   <p></p>

In a Class 3A championship at Grand Casino Arena, the Marshall Tigers captured the state title in four sets against Benilde-St. Margaret's (BSM). The final showcased balanced offense, disciplined defense, and tactical precision from Marshall, while BSM countered with pin firepower and a creative setter-driven offense—most notably a dramatic third-set comeback in which the Red Knights saved nine championship points to force a fourth set.