JAMESTOWN - No. 3 Legacy made sure there was little doubt it was going to extend its season to next week's Division AA state tournament. The Sabers came out sharp in the first set against No. 5 Mandan. And the stellar play continued in a 3-0 victory in the West Region state qualifier on Nov. 14 at JHS Jerry Meyer Arena.

The Sabers' experience, athleticism and size at the net were just too much for Mandan to contain. Brooklyn Pudwill and Finley Fettig led the charge at the net, finishing with 16 and 13 kills respectively. Marlee Falcon added seven and also had two blocks. Zoe Flemmer had a match-best 19 assists while Claire Brendel added 17. Katelyn Deringer added 15 digs and 1.5 blocks.

Mandan put together a string of good play in the second set, but Legacy grabbed a 14-13 lead and never trailed the rest of the set. The Sabers jumped out to an early lead in the third set. Mandan tried to slow the momentum with a couple of timeouts, but it was to no avail.

The Sabers entered the qualifier on the heels of a tough, emotional loss to Jamestown in five sets in the semifinals. However, the squad was laser focused in earning the win over the Braves.

Legacy improved to 25-9 overall and its state tournament appearance is the program's first since 2024. Mandan ended its season at 16-17.