SIOUX FALLS – They might have been younger, but they definitely possessed more big-match experience and it showed Friday night.

Warner, despite losing standout players to graduation, is right back where it was when the season ended a year ago, playing for a state championship. The Monarchs swept past Hitchcock-Tulare 25-20, 25-23, 25-20 in the semifinals of the Class B Volleyball State Tournament Friday night at the Sanford Premier Center.

“I think our girls came in with a lot of confidence,” said Warner coach Kari Jung. “I told them we might be the underdog here, because they’ve got some heavy hitters and we have a lot of young ones.”

While the Monarchs have a lot of new faces this year, they are still playing in their eighth straight state tournament and there is no substitute for that culture.

“They’re an experienced team in this situation,” said Hitchcock-Tulare coach Jordan Opp. “They’ve been here a ton of times.”

Warner scored five unanswered points midway through the opening set to set the tone for the night. With a defense focused on standout hitter Kyleigh Schopp, the Monarchs found other hitters who stepped up.

“Our setters did a really good job,” Jung said. “We talked about finding different hitters tonight, because we knew they’d probably follow Kyleigh a lot, because last time we played them she had 32 kills.”

One of those different hitters was freshman Jaycee Jung, who consistently hurt the Patriots with her down the line shots. It’s a completely different role for her compared to last year’s state tourney.

“Last year I just felt like I brought the energy on the bench,” Jung said, “and this year I bring it on the court.”

If it wasn’t Jung, it was McKenna Leidholt who found open spots on the court on the way to a team-leading 14 kills.

“They just have so many weapons,” Opp said. “They’re that good.”

While the Monarchs were swinging away, the Patriots were a bit more passive to start and their shots did not have the same impact.

“We couldn’t get anything rolling and they responded very well to the balls we gave them,” said Hitchcock-Tulare’s Ella Johnson. “Sometimes we weren’t as aggressive as we should have and they really took advantage of that.”

Warner’s defense has long been a strength of the squad and it was on display once again. Led by seniors Jordyn Jensen and Haleigh Holt, points were hard to come by for the Patriots.

“I thought our passers were really good,” Coach Jung said. “We knew they’d be aggressive serving and they got us a few times. … Our two seniors back there really wanted it.”

While they don’t often get the exposure that some of the offensive players receive, the two seniors take pride in their defense.

“Me and Jordyn in the back row, we love our defense,” Holt said. “We don’t want the ball to dop ever. That’s our goal, that’s our role on the team. We try to do it to the best of our ability.”

Holt was quick to credit the Warner blockers for their role in the team defense.

“Our blockers did a great job on getting touches so it slows down the ball,” she said, “and we can get a good up.”

The Patriots also did their part at the net to try to diffuse the powerful hits that came their way.

“I think our blockers need to stay neutral and I think we did a better job of that than the last time we played them, and just being able to move quickly and seeing where they’re setting that ball, and moving with the ball and getting our hands up in time,” said Hitchcock-Tulare’s Isabel Gilbert. “And even if we’re not getting a stuff block, getting those touches and slowing the ball down a little bit for our defense in the back row, I think that makes a really big difference in the ball game.”

The Patriots’ best chance came near the end of the second set. Hitchcock-Tulare stayed within striking distance and the score was tied at 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 before the Monarchs scored the final two points to take total control.

“When you’re down 2-0, it’s just tough in big-game situations like this,” Opp said, “and against a good team, you just can’t have it.”

Katelyn Schroeder topped the Patriots with 15 kills, and Johnson added eight, many in the final sets to try to keep her team in the match.

“I just really tried to help out my team in any way I could,” Johnson said. “I was trying to find their hands. They’re very tall blockers, very skilled at what they do. I was just trying to help out my team.”

Hitchcock-Tulare, 32-3, faces Burke for third place at 5 this evening.

“It means everything,” Johnson said of the importance of the team’s final match of the season. “We want to go out on a win. It means everything to us.”

Warner, 33-4, will once again face Chester Area in the championship match around 6:45 tonight. The Flyers won last year’s title in a five-set thriller.

“We just need to bring all the energy that we can, and stop their big hitters,” Jaycee Jung said.

Chester Area has been the top-rated Class B team all season, and Coach Jung knows that the Monarchs will have to play their best, but at least they have a chance.

“We’re going to give it everything we got and now I know we’re the underdog (Saturday),” Coach Jung said. “We’re going to use that as motivation.”

Serving: Hitchcock-Tulare 7 aces (Isabel Gilbert  3, Gracyn Bixler 2, Ella Johnson 1, Lila Jo Johnson 1); Warner 3 (Jaycee Jung 1, Jordyn Jensen 1, Reagan Wood 1).

Hitting: Hitchcock-Tulare 30 (Katelyn Schroeder 15, Ella Johnson 8, Isabel Gilbert 3, Rebecca Huizenga 2); Warner 41 kills (McKenna Leidholt 14, Kyleigh Schopp 9, Miah Leidholt 8, Jung 7).

Setting: Hitchcock-Tulare 28 assists (L. Johnson 17, Bixler 9); Warner 39 (Libby Scepaniak 20, Wood 18).

Digs: Hitchcock-Tulare 64 (Cambree Hoekman 17, Schroeder 15, L. Johnson 10); Warner 75 (Jensen 18, Jung 17, Schopp 8, Wood 7).

Blocks: Hitchcock-Tulare 16 assists (Huizenga 6, Schroeder 4, Cora Hofer 3); Warner 2 solo 1 assists (Schopp 1 solo 3 assists Miah Leidholt 1 solo 2 assists, Courtney Leidholt 2 assists, M. Leidholt 2).

Records: Hitchcock-Tulare 32-3; Warner 33-4.