Watertown to hold annual NAIA conference volleyball tournament, including top-5 ranked team

The North Star Athletic Association volleyball tournament returns to the Watertown Civic Arena this week with a new three-day format.

Six of the league's seven teams qualified for the tourney that runs Thursday through Saturday.

Play begins Thursday with quarterfinal matches at 4 and 6 p.m. The winners advance to semifinal matches at 5 and 7 p.m. Friday with the championship set for 2 p.m. Saturday.

Viterbo (Wis.), ranked fifth in the NAIA national poll, has won the tournament each of the past eight years and is the No. 1 seed. The V-Hawks (28-4 overall, 12-0 NSAA) received a first-round bye along with second-seeded Valley City State of North Dakota (22-8, 8-4).

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Thursday's matches include No. 6 Waldorf, Iowa (12-14, 1-11) vs. No. 3 Bellevue, Neb. (22-8, 8-4) at 4 p.m., followed by No. 5 Mayville State (15-10, 6-6) vs. No. 4 Dakota State (15-14, 6-6).

On Friday, the Waldorf-Bellevue winner takes on Valley City State at 5 p.m. in the first semifinal, followed by the Mayville State-Dakota State winner facing Viterbo at 7 p.m.

Bellevue was ranked 20th and Valley City received votes in the recent NAIA national poll.

Former area high school standouts listed on rosters include three players for Dakota State: Junior defensive specialist Julia Drietz of Lake Benton (Elkton-Lake Benton), senior setter Madalyn Groft of Mellette (Northwestern) and junior outside hitter Sydney Schell of Aberdeen (Northwestern).

Dakota State assistant coach Laura Babcock is an Aberdeen native who played five seniors for Presentation College, which closed this past summer.

Abby Berry, a sophomore setter from Aberdeen (Aberdeen Central) and Abby Cox, a sophomore outside-right side hitter from Oakes (N.D.) each play for Mayville State. Sadie Hansen, a junior setter from Oakes, is a member of the Valley City State team.

The winner of the tournament earns an automatic bid to the NAIA national tournament, which starts Nov. 19 in Sioux City, Iowa.

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: NAIA North Star conference tournament set for Watertown, S.D.