Page 45 - 2020 AIA Volleyball Championship Program

4A: fAmiliAriTy Abound wiTh Top seeds And The posTseAson
By Andy Morales AZPreps365.com
Notre Dame Prep moved down to the 4A Conference this fall and the Saints earned the top seed in the con- ference after finishing undefeated at 14-0 in the regular season. Freshman Evan Hendrix is leading her team with 155 kills and junior Madison White is right there with 141 kills. Sr. Deane Pitts has 419 assists on the year.
The Saints won the D-II state championship in 2015 and the program lost to Sunnyslope in the 5A semifinals last year. But it looks like the team is primed for a cham- pionship run at the 4A level this fall after beating No. 2 Salpointe 3-0 in late October and No. 3 Deer Valley 3-2 in early October.
Salpointe (14-2) also lost to No. 4 Seton Catholic 3-2 this year, so most of the teams at the top are familiar with each other even in the circumstances surrounding COVID-19. Typically a 4A power with back-to-back state championships in 2016 and 2017 followed by a runner-up finish in 2018, the Lancers lost in the first round last fall. The Lancers picked up the top player from Southern Ari- zona in senior hitter Andrea Owens (185 kills) and she is being fed by senior setter Brandy Kishbaugh (364 assists).
Greenway (12-1) brought home 4A titles in 2018 and 2019, but the Demons come in this year as a No. 5 seed and the team will face No. 12 Youngker (9-4) in the first round. The Roughriders beat Greenway 3-1 to open the regular season so there might be some revenge involved since that loss possibly cost the Demons a higher seed.
Deer Valley (12-2) finished in the semifinal round last year as the top seed and lost to Greenway, but their two losses this year came against Notre Dame in marathon 5-set matches where the Skyhawks had to battle to force the fifth set in each match. The two teams are on opposite sides of the bracket and the Skyhawks also defeated No.
4 Seton Catholic 3-2 last week. The Sentinels (12-2) could face Notre Dame in the semifinal round. Seton Catholic fell to No. 6 Flagstaff 3-2 to end the regular season.
The No. 2 seed from last year, Estrella Foothills (10-3), is the No. 8 seed this year and the Wolves lost to Green- way in the title match last year after beating Flagstaff in the semifinal round.
Most of the characters from last year are back for another run at the title, but it looks like Notre Dame Prep might steal the show this fall.
Andrea Owens (No. 13) aims to lead Salpointe Catholic back to the state championship game where the Lancers appeared from 2016-18. (Andy Morlaes photo/AZPreps365)