SIOUX FALLS — Warner topped a fellow Class B blue blood and claimed back-to-back state volleyball championships on Saturday. 

No. 1 Warner outlasted No. 3 Chester Area, 3-1, at the Denny Sanford Premier Center to capture another state title in its storied history. The set scores were 25-23, 25-16, 14-25 and 26-24 in a hard-fought battle between perennial Class B powerhouses. 

“We knew it was going to be a tough match going in and once we had the momentum, we could keep it going,” Warner junior setter Ava Nilsson said. “Our defense really played great today. Our blocking was awesome. Our middles really got from pin to pin and I think it was a great match overall.”

It was Warner’s eighth state championship in program history and its first back-to-back state titles since winning three straight from 2012-14. The Monarchs accomplished the feat against a familiar foe. 

It was Warner and Chester Area’s 16th meeting since 2013, including seven in the state tournament and four championship battles. Warner is now 3-1 all-time against Chester Area in state championship matches. 

“Chester has a super good program,” said Nilsson, who had 46 assists and 14 digs. “They have been great for years. They have a good coach and they start when they are young.” 

The Warner bench celebrates following their four-set win over Chester to capture the Class B state volleyball championship Saturday in Sioux Falls. (Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)

It was more of the same on Saturday as both teams played at a high level. The teams combined for 13 total blocks, 90 assists, 95 kills and 194 digs. 

“They are so dang athletic,” Warner coach Kari Jung said. “You think the ball is down and you are chasing balls over the bleachers and they just are quick and we knew it was going to be tough.”

The Monarchs (37-2) used a strong surge in the fourth set to put away the Flyers (28-6) and prevented a fifth set. In the third set, Chester Area tightened up its defense and notched a nine-point set win to avoid the sweep.

“They forced us into a lot of mistakes and then we started playing a little scared, it looked like,” Jung said. “It was because of the pressure they were putting on us and then we weren’t trying to hit hard. We were trying to give them balls back and then they got us hitting harder. So I am glad we got momentum back in set four.”

The Flyers carried over the momentum into the fourth set, pulling away for an early lead. Warner, however, got back to running its offense and Nilsson found Schopp (22 kills) and Kyra Marcuson (15 kills) down the stretch. 

“I connected very well with Ava tonight,” said Schopp, a sophomore middle hitter. “I think the communication and being around each other and knowing each other worked out very well tonight.”

“(Ava) was really moving the ball around well,” Jung added. “We said they are keying in on the outsides and you have to get to Kyleigh and (Kamryn Anderson) in the middle better and she did.”

Warner players celebrate following their four-set win over Chester to capture the Class B state volleyball championship Saturday in Sioux Falls. (Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)

Warner still needed to hold off Chester Area down the stretch. The Monarchs led 23-18 lead and the Flyers evened the set at 24-24. But Warner scored the final two points, including a long rally that was ended by a Marcuson kill at the net. 

“It was a very crazy play,” Nilsson said. “I think we all wanted it so bad and we all knew now or never. We all just wanted it super hard. So we all just fought for the victory.”

Once Marcuson notched the kill, a sea of blue celebrated and another state championship was headed back to Warner.

“They knew they had to rely on their experience down the stretch,” Jung said. “They told me ‘We got this coach,’ and I just trusted them.”