The final hurdle on the journey to the state volleyball tournament has arrived for volleyball squads this week. The last victory is often the hardest to achieve. There are eight area Class A and Class B teams that will be involved in SoDak 16 matches tonight, including fifth-seeded Aberdeen Roncalli which will be facing 12th-seeded Sioux Valley at 7 in Webster.

Roncalli is looking for its first state tourney berth since 2018.

“Volleyball is such a mental game sometimes,” said Roncalli coach Leesa Ware. “I don’t want to put a lot of pressure on the girls, that this is either do or die. They don’t need to hear it from me, because they know.”

The Cavaliers have advanced to this stage numerous times in the past eight years before being tripped up. Ware said her players are highly motivated to get past this round.

“At the SoDak 16 games, they’re intense,” Ware said. “We know what our goal is. We’ve been preparing for this basically the entire year. There’s a lot on the line right now.”

Roncalli (22-5) will face a Sioux Valley 22-7 squad that will present some challenges.

“They do have a couple of tall girls. Their setter does like to dump. They hit deep corners. Their blocking game is very aggressive,” Ware said. “They’re very good blockers, so we’re going to have be on our game tremendously (tonight), but … I think if we can play our game, we’ll get through it, but we’re going to have to be on.”

On paper the teams appear to be similar, right down to a quality win over Hamlin, which received votes in the Class A poll throughout the course of the season.

“They took one from Hamlin, we took one from Hamlin. I think we’re very well matched up,” Ware said. “They have seven losses, we have five losses. Kind of the same record, honestly. It’s going to be a good game and I’m excited for it.”

13 Groton (20-13) vs. 4 Clark-Willow Lake (23-1) at Watertown, 7 p.m.

These Northeast Conference teams are no strangers to each other. Not only did they face many common opponents, they played each other during the regular season.

Clark-Willow Lake swept the Tigers at Groton and will wear the favorite label here. The Cyclones’ only loss on the season came at the hands of second-seeded Dell Rapids.

Groton lost its first four matches to start the season, but had winning streaks of five and six matches in the middle of the season, and currently brings a five-match winning streak into this encounter.

CLASS B

15 Lyman (18-12) vs. 2 Warner (32-3) at Huron, 5:30 p.m.

Warner, which has played in the last six state championship matches, knows the path to the state tourney quite well. The Monarchs have not lost to a Class B foe this season and have not dropped a set since Sept. 26.

Lyman outlasted Corsica-Stickney in five sets in last week’s regional play to advance to this match. The Raiders did face a solid schedule this season, however they were swept by Faulkton and Wolsey-Wessington, two teams that Warner swept.

14 Castlewood (17-11) vs. 3 Colman-Egan (27-3) at Madison, 7 p.m.

Colman-Egan started out the season with 13 straight wins, and now brings a 12-match winning streak into this encounter. The Hawks will be highly motivated to get back to the state tourney after falling to Warner in the SoDak 16 last season.

Castlewood recorded an impressive road sweep over top-seeded Wolsey-Wessington in Region 2B action last week. The Warriors, who won the State B softball championship last spring, have decorated athletes.

Colman-Egan picked up a four-set win over Castlewood at home early last month.

13 Faulkton (20-11) vs. 4 Chester Area (26-4) at De Smet, 7 p.m.

Chester Area is the three-time defending State B champion. The Flyers lost just four matches against a loaded schedule that included four Class AA teams, and some of the state’s elite Class A squads. Chester Area brings a 12-match winning streak into this contest.

Faulkton also faced a quality schedule that featured eight teams that are playing in tonight’s Class A or Class B SoDak 16 matches. The Trojans will still be an underdog heading into this encounter.

12 Kadoka Area (25-8) vs. 5 Northwestern (32-5) at Gettysburg, 7 p.m.

This matchup features a pair of squads that combined to win 57 matches so far this season.

Northwestern, which finished third in last year’s state tournament, has won 32 matches against a scheduled that included four Class AA schools and some of the state’s premier Class B teams.

Kadoka Area, which has 25 wins heading into tonight, also toughened up against a schedule that featured a variety of Class AA, A and B competition. The Kougars, who have won six straight matches, have just one senior on their roster.

9 Deubrook Area (23-7) vs. 8 Miller (21-9) at Huron, 7 p.m.

As one might expect in an 8 vs. 9 matchup, this could turn out to be quite a battle before everything is settled.

Miller, which dropped down to Class B this season, still faced a schedule loaded with Class A competition. The Rustlers’ only losses to Class B foes came against Warner and Colman-Egan, two of the top-rated teams all season.

Deubrook Area is battle tested, having played in three five-set matches this year, including a five-set win over Estelline-Hendricks in the Region 2B final. The Dolphins won 10 straight matches during one stretch this past season.

Look for this one to feature plenty of excitement and late-match intensity.