ROCHESTER — The No. 4 Grand Meadow volleyball team played with one of the perennial powers in the state at times, but the Superlarks couldn’t keep it up as their season came to an end on a loss to top-seeded Faribault Bethlehem Academy by scores of 25-15, 25-14, 25-16 in Mayo Civic Center in Rochester Saturday.

It was the first time any GM team had played in Mayo Civic Center in school history.

“We had some check offs that we wanted to get this year,” GM head coach Tori Burmester said. “One was a twenty win season; we got it. Win the conference; we got it. Host a playoff game; we got it. I can’t thank them enough and I really couldn’t have asked this team to do more than they did.”

GM (21-12 overall) was tied 8-8 in the second set and it led the third set by as 9-4 early on before bowing out. With just one senior in the rotation, Burmester was pleased with how her squad competed against the Cardinals (22-7 overall).

“They’re one of the best programs in the state,” Burmester said of FBA. “They reload, they don’t rebuild and it’s pretty hard to prepare for them. We don’t get to play teams like this all year round, and I think it was very important [for our young players] to play against them.”