Heron Lake-Okabena at Southwest Minnesota Christian
7:15 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 30

The top spot in the Red Rock Conference is at stake when Heron Lake-Okabena and Southwest Minnesota Christian meet Tuesday. Both teams are unbeaten in conference play. Heron Lake-Okabena, No. 6-1A, is 5-0 and a half-match behind 6-0 Southwest Minnesota Christian. Heron Lake-Okabena, formerly known as Southwest Star Concept, had a co-op with Round Lake-Brewster last fall (known as Southwestern United), and the Wildcats haven't seemed to miss the partnership as the team has surged into the Top 10 rankings with five consecutive victories. All-State middle hitter Courtney Place leads a Heron Lake-Okabena team that has lost four matches all season, including two against powerhouse Jackson County Central. Southwest Minnesota Christian is on five-match winning streak and has its own strong middle in senior Tianna Top, setting up a terrific head-to-head battle between the middle hitters.