SIOUX FALLS – With the match on the line Thursday evening, Warner used a combination of its veteran leadership and coming of age underclassmen to pull out a dramatic victory.

The Monarchs came up big when it mattered most in a 25-27, 25-13, 25-20, 22-25, 15-13 win over Colman-Egan in the opening round of the Class B State Volleyball Tournament at the Sanford Premier Center.

The fifth and final set was tied at 11, 12, and 13 before Warner secured the final two points on back-to-back kills from Kyleigh Schopp and Jaycee Jung to claim the match.

“Honestly, that just came down to our energy and being together as a team,” said Schopp, a senior who has played in the last couple of state championship matches. “I couldn’t be prouder of our younger girls. They’ve stepped up so much this season.”

With Schopp leading the way with 23 kills, including three in a row a one stage in the fifth, the rest of the Monarchs followed suit in the hard-fought victory.

“She got down on herself a little bit, but when it counted, she really finished plays,” said Warner coach Kari Jung of her senior standout. “She wanted the ball and our setters found her.”

Schopp and MaKenna Leidholt are the two returning hitters from last year’s state runner-up squad. Schopp said she felt like he had to be a leader during the tight match.

“I felt like it was a big leadership role tonight,” Schopp said, “but I’m super proud of them and I think they really showed up tonight when we needed them.”

One of those newcomers who got their first real exposure to the big stage Thursday night was setter Reagan Wood.

“I was so nervous, but I have to trust in my teammates,” Wood said. “We played this whole year and worked so hard for this, and it kind of showed in this fifth set here.”

The Monarchs found themselves in a precarious position when Schopp would rotate out from time to time, as she did in the fifth set. However, the Monarchs were able to hold their own.

“It’s definitely hard, because you want to be out there playing, but I put all my trust in my teammates,” Schopp said. “I know they can get a kill. I just want to put props for them for still staying strong and getting kills when I’m not on the court.”

Colman-Egan coach Abby Hemmer knew it was just a matter of time before Schopp would be back on the court.

“I knew as soon as she was rotating right back in it was going to be tough,” Hemmer said, “because she’s a veteran player. She’s smart. She knows where to put the ball.”

Warner needed a big effort from Schopp, because the Monarchs had a hard time dealing with Colman-Egan’s down the line attack. Brynlee Landis racked up 16 kills for the Hawks, repeatedly burning Warner down the line.

“We knew that was going to come. We said we have to play her on the line. We just couldn’t stop it,” Jung said. “She kept hitting off our block. We just didn’t have a good angle on her block to keep it in play.”

To be sure, the Hawks pushed Warner throughout the entire match and were just two points away from victory themselves.

“They had a lot of seniors that really played with a lot of heart,” Jung said. “Hats off to Colman. They played a great game, too.”

Jung added 14 kills and Leidholt 12 to the Warner total.

Wood accumulated 20 set assists and also added a pair of kills on nifty little dumpoffs on an unsuspecting defense.

“You kind of just look for holes,” Wood said, “and if my hitters aren’t ready yet, you just have to send it over.”

In the end, Warner once again had just what it took to advance to the semifinals.

When asked how much of what happened was culture and just Warner being Warner, Wood responded, “All of it. … We’ve been here quite often and it’s fun.”

The Monarchs, 32-4, meet Hitchcock-Tulare in the semifinals at 6:45 tonight. Warner won a previous match in five sets.

“This was a good match to prepare us for (Friday),” Jung said. “When things don’t go our way we’ve got to keep it together.”

Serving: Colman-Egan 4 aces (Savanna Schmidt 2, Finley Luze 1, Elaina Rhode 1); Warner 10 aces (Jaycee Jung 2, Jordyn Jensen 2,Libby Scepaniak 2).

Attacking: Colman-Egan 44 kills (Brynlee Landis 16, Rhode 11, Luze 7); Warner 58 kills (Kyleigh Schopp 23, Jung 14, MaKenna Leidholt 12).

Setting: Colman-Egan 43 assists (Kaylee Voelker 25, F. Luze 16); Warner 58 assists (Reagan Wood 20, Scepaniak 18).

Digs: Colman-Egan 94 (Rhode 23, F. Luze 21, P. Luze 20); Warner 67 (Jensen 23, Haleigh Holt 15, Jung 11).

Blocks: Colman-Egan 1 solo 16 assists (Anna Zwart 1 solo 6 assists, Landis 3 assists); Warner 2 solo 14 assists (Schopp 1 solo 5 assists, Leidholt 1 solo 1 assist, Olivia Marcuson 3 assists).

Records: Colman-Egan 24-6; Warner 32-4.