Top-rated Arrows advance to state with 3-0 SoDak 16 win over Yankton

The Watertown Arrows are hoping the third time is a charm.

The top-ranked and top-seeded Arrows defeated 16th-seeded Yankton 3-0 in a SoDak 16 volleyball match Thursday at the Civic Arena, earning their third-consecutive state Class AA volleyball tournament berth in the process.

The Arrows (25-2) will square off with Harrisburg in the opening round of the tournament set to begin Thursday at Rapid City.

Yankton’s season ends at 5-23.

The Arrows finished fourth and third at the 2017 and 2018 tournaments, respectively. They will be vying for their first state championship since 1997.

Yankton kept pace in the early portion of each set, matching the Arrows 8-8 in the first set, 10-13 in the second and 6-8 in the third.

“I think there was some nerves, especially in the first set,” said Watertown head coach Rosemary Bellum. “We got caught off guard and gave up a couple of easy points and then it was 8-8.”

However, much like a diesel engine, the Arrows just needed a little time to get going.

Watertown closed the first set on a 17-4 run, the second 12-5 and the third 17-6.

“They do what they do, they’re a well-oiled machine,” added Bellum. “We settled things down, our setting at the net improved and went from there.”

Watertown’s quartet of hitters feasted at the net with Sophie Tietz, Meghan Hegglund, Maggie Heesch and Mackenzie Buisker going a combined 66-81 hitting with 40 kills. Tietz led the way with 13 kills followed by Hegglund with 11, Heesch nine and Buisker seven.

Alexx Bayles set up the offense with 41 assists and Delaney Heller stood out on the service line with two aces.

“Every game is a singular goal on the way to our ultimate goal,” said Heesch. “We want this state championship badly and we know that, even with a slow start, we can overcome it if we do what we know we can do and play as a team.”

Gabby Pietila pace Yankton with 12 kills. Jordynn Salvatori followed with four kills and Chloe McDermott three. Eighth-grader Camille McDermott anchored the setting with 19 assists and chipped in 11 digs.