Alexandria volleyball upsets top seed Delano to play for Class 3A state title

Alexandria did what no team had been able to accomplish all season: beat Delano.

The Cardinals played a nearly-perfect match, sweeping previously undefeated Delano 25-22, 25-17 and 25-14 in the Class 3A semifinals Friday to advance to Saturdays' championship match.

Delano will play the winner of the Stewartville-Marshall semifinal at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

Delano earned the No. 1 seed in Class 3A by virtue of it's gaudy undefeated record. The Tigers went into Friday's semifinal with a 31-0 record, having not lost more than one set in any match this season.

But Alexandria's precision attack and air-tight defense frustrated Delano all match. Addison Rossum and Hadley Thull had 19 kills and 13 kills, respectively, for Alexandria.

Delano slipped to 31-1 heading into the third place match.

Delano went into Friday's semifinal with a 31-0 record, having not lost more than one set in any match this season.