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Orem • "Ain't no party like a P.G. party," goes one of the most popular chants for the Pleasant Grove faithful.

And it was certainly a festive atmosphere on the floor of the UCCU Center late Saturday night: A huge throng of Viking supporters on the floor all the while the Class 5A championship trophy was being passed around.

Pleasant Grove had reason to celebrate, as it became the first 5A school to win three straight state titles after beating Lehi 25-21, 25-22, 23-25, 25-21 in the big schools finale.

"It's never beat done in 5A, the three-peat, so it was a goal of ours," Pleasant Grove coach Allyce Jones said. "It's a great feeling because we've established a great culture in our program. We know the work ethic that we have to do to get to this point every year."

The Vikings' primary hitting weapon in the championship match was senior Bailey Nixon, who took over that role after graduation losses from the 2013 squad. Nixon finished with a dozen kills as Pleasant Grove won the four-game match.

"It's unreal. I can't even comprehend this feeling right now," Nixon said. "It just feels so good. Everyone on the court was a leader and we just came together."

Both the first and second sets were tied late before the Vikings — who also got nine kills from Sara Hamson and seven more from fellow middle Alexus Sharp — were able to pull away from the Pioneers.

A 21-21 deadlock in the first set went Pleasant Grove's way thanks to a pair of miscues by Lehi and a kill from Hamson to clinch.

Again at 21-21 in the second, Vikings setter Jeni Biggs blocked a Lehi kill attempt to uneven the score. Eventually, Nixon finished that set with a dink kill for an two-set advantage.

But Lehi, which saw outside hitter Rylin Roberts hurt her left ankle early in the second set, rallied behind a re-taped Roberts and the hitting of middle To'a Faleao and outside Ali Greenwood to take the third set.

In an 8-3 run to close out that set, Roberts got a kill and a block on consecutive points to push the score to 24-21.

Lehi, which had upset top-ranked Bingham in the quarterfinals, made it to the championship by beating region rival and second-ranked Lone Peak earlier in the day at Utah Valley University. After the match, Pioneers coach Jami Ingersoll said she didn't think her team suffered from fatigue following the five-set win over the Knights.

"We had to beat the number one seed, the number two seed, just to get to this spot," Lehi coach Jami Ingersoll said. "We had a great tournament."

In the fourth set, Pleasant Grove grabbed a slight lead after the score was tied at 15-15 and held on. The Vikings, leading 23-21, had an impromptu celebration when a kill from junior Brooklyn Dahl got them to match point.

On match point, it was Dahl again. In a long rally that featured two big Biggs digs, Dahl hit a soft shot that found the floor and set off the PG party.

"That was awesome. It was so surreal, I can't describe it," said Dahl, who finished with five kills and a pair of blocks. "I'm just so happy to be part of a great team, to be part of an accomplishment like this." —

Storylines

O Pleasant Grove becomes the first Class 5A program to win three straight state championships.

• Senior Bailey Nixon leads the way for the Vikings with 12 kills.

• Lehi beats No. 1 Bingham in the quarters and No. 2 Lone Peak in the semis before coming up short.