Salpointe Catholic will play Monday night for its third straight state volleyball championship.
The third-seeded Lancers defeated Tempe Marcos de Niza 25-17, 20-25, 25-20, 25-17 on Saturday, setting up a Monday night Class 4A state championship match against top-seeded Phoenix Greenway at Tempe's Marcos de Niza High School. The showdown is a rematch of the 2016 Class 4A state championship match, which Salpointe won 25-23, 20-25, 25-21, 25-16. The Lancers beat Peoria Sunrise Mountain 24-26, 25-23, 25-18, 22-25, 15-13 a year ago.Β
Senior Alex Parkhurst led the Lancers with 14 kills in Saturday's semifinal, while sophomore Andrea Owens added 11 kills and a team-high 10 digs. The Lancers (34-5) hit .312 as a team and committed just nine errors.Β
Your #3 Lady Lancers advance to the 4A State Championship in hopes to defend their Back-to-Back State Title!! The Lancers will play the winner of #1 Greenway Demons vs. #4 Flagstaff Eagles on Monday 11/5 at 7pm at McClintock HS! #LancerNation #SCVB #MakeHistoryππ
— Salpointe Volleyball (@salpointeVB) November 4, 2018
Saturday's win capped a busy week. Coach Heather Moore-Martin's Lancers beat Glendale Cactus on Tuesday and Deer Valley on Thursday, earning a spot in Saturday's semifinal. Parkhurst, Owens, senior Madison Sundholm and junior Abby Russell lead Salpointe's attack. The four have combined for 985 kills this season; the rest of their teammates have combined for just 214 kills. Sundholm became Salpointe's all-time kills leader during the semifinals; she has 768 and counting heading into her last-ever high school match.Β
Monday's title match won't be easy. Greenway has lost just one set during its playoff run, though fourth-seeded Flagstaff kept things close in Saturday's semifinals. Greenway won 26-24, 29-17, 27-15.
