In a match as even as the Class 2A volleyball final between top-seeded Stewartville and three-time defending champion Marshall, it made sense that the difference was one small thing in a sea of statistics.

Stewartville won its fourth state championship, outlasting Marshall 25-23, 27-29, 23-25 25-19, 15-5. 

Stewartville, which was making its 22nd state tournament appearance, last won the championship in 2000.

Marshall was shooting to become just the third team to win four consecutive titles. Columbia Heights did it in from 1987 through 1990. Armstrong won five consecutive championships in the early 1980s.

The only real difference between the two teams on Saturday was Stewartville’s strength at serving and Marshall’s inability to handle it.

Stewartville had 13 ace serves, a number that had Marshall coach Dan Westby shaking his head.

“We weren’t getting the serves back very well,” Westby said. “And it seemed like we were playing from behind all match. Too many errors. 

‘‘We actually had more kills, 67 to 57, but we also made too many mistakes.”

Stewartville led for most of the match, but Marshall’s state championship experience kept it close and even allowed it to steal a couple of sets.

But Stewartville, facing a potential season-ending loss, prevailed in the fourth set and was overpowering in the final set.

‘‘I think we just played our game,” said junior Jenna Willenborg, who led Stewartville’s Tigers — the nickname for both teams — with 20 kills and five ace serves.

“We didn’t do anything too different because if you do something too different, then you’re thinking about stuff too much. 

‘‘I think we all just trusted each other and did what we needed to do”

Willenborg said there was no greater feeling than the one she had after teammate Marissa Behrens closed the match with a kill, setting off a celebration of players on the court.

“It feels amazing,” Willenborg said. “To see Marissa put that last point away and then we were state champions.

‘‘It’s kind of unbelievable at the same time.”

The victory was extra sweet because it came on coach John Dzubay’s birthday.

“It is a very nice birthday present we ended up giving him,” Willenborg said. “But he said don’t focus on it too much.”

Rachel Finkbeiner contributed to this report.

Stewartville won its first state championship since 2000, defeating three-time defending champion Marshall 25-23 27-29, 23-25, 25-19, 15-5 on Saturday at Xcel Energy Center.

The match featured two of the most successful programs in Minnesota. Between them, the teams had 45 state tournament appearances: 23 for Marshall, 22 for Stewartville.

In a match in which both teams were equally adept, it was Stewartville’s serve and Marshall’s difficulty handling it that made the difference. Stewartville had 13 ace serves, including three in the final set.

Check back later for more on the match.