Northwest Christian tops Arizona College Prep for 3A volleyball state title
Phoenix Northwest Christian beat Chandler Arizona College Prep in straight sets and in dominating fashion to win the 3A state volleyball title on Saturday.
Both Northwest Christian, the No. 3 seed, and Arizona College Prep, the No. 5 seed, scored upsets in the semifinals to make it to the final stage of the tournament at Tempe High.
Northwest Christian rolled in the first set winning 25-11. Six-footers Reagan Hope, Zoe Dalessandri and Mckenzie Wise controlled the net and racked up kills.
"Last year we lost in the semis, so our goal at the start of the year was to win state," Hope said.
The lopsided match continued early in the second set. Northwest Christian built a six-point lead. Arizona College Prep and Tendall Weigand cut into the deficit, forcing Northwest Christian to call a timeout, but the Crusaders pulled away, winning the set 25-18.
"I told them we needed to stay aggressive and true to who we are. If we play passive, we lose," said coach Jenna Hope, Reagan's mother.
The third set was all but a formality. Northwest Christian jumped out to a 15-1 lead, as Arizona College Prep struggled to find any offense against the opponent's wall of rangy defenders.
Reagan Hope was the star of the third set. The sophomore captain lunged to the floor, digging serves and returns only to immediately pop back up to her feet and deliver kills.
"She's such a competitor and loves big games," Jenna said about Reagan. "It was very special to watch her play."
Northwest Christian won the third and final set 25-12.
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