SIOUX FALLS – For the second night in a row, Hitchcock-Tulare was forced to play from behind, and for the second time the Patriots were unable to get over the hump.

One night after falling to Warner, Hitchcock-Tulare got in an early hole and eventually fell to Burke 25-19, 25-21, 25-16 in the third-place match during the State B Volleyball Tournament Saturday night at the Sanford Premier Center.

“It’s tough when you’ve got to play from behind constantly,” said Hitchcock-Tulare coach Jordan Opp. “They’re both obviously really good teams. They have a variety of hitters that kept us moving. We just didn’t play their ball very well.”

Burke came out swinging from the opening serve and put the Patriots on their heels throughout the match. The Cougars featured a variety of aggressive hitters that were difficult to contain.

“It was tough to figure out,” said Hitchcock-Tulare Libero Cambree Hoekman of where the balls were coming from. “I think a lot of it was just whether or not we could read their hands, but we definitely needed to talk more, and we worked together really well.”

Hoekman said each opponent is different, so it takes a bit to adjust to the hitters.

“It takes a few balls for sure to readjust, but it depends on the team,” Hoekman said. “A lot of teams play different. We line up differently, but we try our best to scout them out.”

Hitchcock-Tulare had its own standout hitter in Katelyn Schroeder. Burke did its best to contain the senior, but Schroeder still ended up with 15 kills in the match.

“Every team tries to do something different,” Schroeder said of opposing defenses, “but it’s super fun to just adjust to that, and change my game as a player, and find different spots that are open.”

In the end, the Patriots didn’t have quite enough answers to slow down Burke.

Opp said playing the state tournament is demanding.

“All eight teams are very quality teams. You can’t rest on them. You can’t take a rest at all,” Opp said. “You can’t take a break and obviously playing three matches in a row, high-quality volleyball, it’s tough mentally and physically.”

Schroeder said the match felt a bit different, knowing it was her last one in a Hitchcock-Tulare uniform.

“It was definitely different getting ready, knowing that this was for sure our last game,” said Schroeder, who will be playing for Northern State in the future. “We tried our best. We could have done better, but we’re just so happy that we made it here and we’re proud of each other.”

The tourney was a fitting bookend for Schroeder, who started her career at a state tournament her eighth-grade season.

“We’ve had the most fun. We’ve developed each other as people and as teammates,” Schroeder said. “I’m just thankful that I could start with a state tournament and end here.”

The Patriots finished the season with program best 32-4 record and a load of memories and accomplishments.

“I’m going to remember all the good attitudes, all the accomplishments and working with everybody,” Hoekman said, “definitely our seniors and they leadership they had, and our coaching staff being a part of us at all times.”

While the seniors will be tough to replace, Opp believes that the state tournament experience will help the returning members to want to come back.

“We’re hoping to get back to this spot next year,” Opp said. “This gives us another opportunity now that we got a taste of it.”

Serving: Hitchcock-Tulare 4 aces (Isabel Gilbert 3, Cambree Hokeman 1); Burke 4 aces (Brecklynn Pistulka 1, Kailee Frank 1, Kyrie Matucha 1, Emmie Hausmann 1).

Hitting: Hitchcock-Tulare 34 kills (Katelyn Schroeder 18, Ella Johnson 6, Cora Hofer 5); Burke 41 kills (Hausmann 13, Frank 11, Paige Bull 10).

Setting: Hitchcock-Tulare 34 assists (Lila Jo Johnson 22, Gracyn Bixler 9); Burke 37 assists (Ava Sargent 16, Emmy Spencer 12).

Digs: Hitchcock-Tulare 62 (Hokeman 17, Schroeder 11, Emmerie Arthurs 10); Burke 67 (Frank 18, Matucha 13, Sargent 9).

Blocks: Hitchcock-Tulare 6 assists (Gilbert 2, Hofer 2, Schroeder 1, Rebecca Huizenga 1); Burke 1 solo 6 assists (P. Bull 2, Addi Hood 1, Spencer 1, Hausmann 1, Olivia Bull 1).

Records: Hitchcock-Tulare 32-4; Burke 35-4.