“It feels good to go from not having the greatest season last year to earning a home game in round one of playoffs,” MVL head coach Johanna Kelly said. “I think it’s a good testament to how much work we’ve put into our game and kind of inspiring as far as wanting to continue to make improvements so we can continue to play the best that we can in seasons to come.”

The honor comes as MVL saw an impressive leap in its win total from a season ago, going from 3-20-2 in 2024 to 13-13 this year with a 7-6 record in the section.

“Besides just having a whole nother year of maturity and experience, we’ve definitely improved offensively,” Kelly said. “Trying to run more tempo balls to the pins and utilizing that back row in our offense has definitely helped us as well and contributed to getting more wins this season.”

Leading the way so far this season for the Chargers has been outside hitter Jenna Bates. Bates set the school record in aces earlier this year with 11 and has 44 on the season, along with a team-best 265 kills with 222 digs and 19 blocks. Joining Bates on the front row are junior outside hitter Olivia Hammer with 188 kills, 42 aces, 153 digs and six blocks, and Marley Schauer, a senior middle hitter with 78 kills, 44 blocks, 83 digs and 14 aces. Graysie Black has stepped up to become the main setter for the team this season and has recorded 415 set assists, 129 digs, 37 aces and six blocks, while sophomore libero Taryn Gunderson leads the defense with 338 digs, along with 24 aces despite missing some time with injury.

File photo by Ari Selvey Minnesota Valley Lutheran’s Ellie Kaesermann (15) and Tori Ringen (6) go up for a block during a nonconference volleyball game against St. James Area on Oct. 13 at MVL High School.

HFC comes into the game with a 7-20 overall record, 1-2 in the section, but is ranked slightly ahead of MVL by QRF. The two teams have had no common opponents this season, though Kelly had a chance to look at HFC’s final regular season game against Dassel-Cokato on Tuesday.

“They definitely run a quick offense through the middle,” Kelly said. “So we’ll definitely have to get our timing down with blocking. And then making sure that, whatever they’re doing out on the pins, we’re locking that down on defense as well. Besides that, the recipe for success for us has always been keeping the pressure on on serves and keeping the pressure on offensively. That will be huge with coming out with a win hopefully on Monday.

MVL will have to control the pace of the game.

“Still that concept of keeping the pressure on,” Kelly said. “We are a team where, as long as we’re disciplined on defense and we’re keeping the pressure on on offense and we’re trying to utilize all of our hitters in the front row, that will be huge in being successful on Monday.”