Vikings win volleyball tournament title in SD

Minneota, the two-time defending Class A state volleyball champion, doesn't appear to be losing any steam based on its recent win in the Sioux Falls Summer Slam Tournament this past week.
In winning the tournament, Minneota never lost a match and defeated the defending state champions from both South Dakota and Iowa along the way.
This is the third straight year the Vikings have competed in the 32-team tournament that features teams from Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin and North Dakota.
"It's always been fun to see teams from all around that you'll never see during the season," said Minneota Coach Hayley Fruin.
The first day of the three-day tournament held on Monday, July 27 was pool play to determine seeding for the remainder of the tournament.
"They seed you and put you in an 'out-state' brackets," Fruin explained. "The winner of the 'out-state' bracket takes on the winner of the South Dakota bracket."
Minneota swept Albany, Western Christian and Marshall to win the Outstate "A" title, and then topped the South Dakota champions, Northwestern Area for the overall championship.
Minneota, who returns several key players from last season's state championship team, had limited practice time prior to the tournament.
"The girls picked up right where we ended last year," Fruin remarked.
In its first pool play match, Minneota topped a strong Sioux Falls Christian team in three sets.
"From that point on, the girls were focuses and determined to take home the championship this year," Fruin said. "We've never advanced that far before so it was really exciting for the girls.
"These girls play so well together. It was pretty special representing small town Minneota against some much bigger schools."