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Orem • The ball ricocheted around a few outstretched arms before finally careening to the ground.
With one final kill on Friday afternoon, Alta, which moved down to Class 4A only 11 months ago, vaulted into the classification's volleyball final four — dropping prohibitive favorite Springville in three straight sets, 25-23, 27-25, 25-20.
Coach Mike Gansauge said he hoped his team, which features only two seniors, would come out and play "fearlessly" against competition like Springville.
So far, so good.
The Hawks kept a steely resolve Friday, edging the Red Devils in the first two sets by a total of four points following a sweep over third seed Hillcrest in the morning match.
Gansauge said the semifinal berth was "probably a surprise" after referring to this Alta squad as a "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde team," but that the camaraderie carried the Hawks through an up-and-down 15-7 season.
"I knew at the beginning of the year that this might be one of my closest-knit teams and because they're willing to fight for each other, in volleyball, sometimes that overpowers any talent you might have," he said.
Senior setter Kirsten Malmrose admitted with a laugh that as the match against Springville began, she didn't think Alta would win. But a steady dose of drive and attitude gave the Hawks the slight edge in the crucial first and second sets.
"Our team just never stops fighting. During tough times like that, we just pull together and rely on each other," Malmrose said. "It helps us get through it."
Alta is set to play Bountiful in the semifinals at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. The other semifinal at 12:30 p.m. Saturday features a matchup of No. 1 seeds in Skyline and Timpview.
The Eagles looked shaky early on Friday, needing five sets to beat Corner Canyon after a host of serving mistakes before besting Spanish Fork in straight sets in the afternoon. The Thunderbirds swept Olympus and edged Salem Hills in four sets to advance.
Twitter: @BrennanJSmith —
Volleyball tournaments
At UCCU Center, Orem
Class 5A
Semifinals, Saturday
• Bingham vs. Lehi, 10:30 a.m.
• Pleasant Grove vs. Brighton, 12:30 p.m.
Championship, Saturday
• Semifinal winners, 5:30 p.m.
Class 4A
First round, Friday
• Alta def. Hillcrest 25-8, 25-18, 25-10
• Springville def. Woods Cross 25-21, 25-15, 25-18
• Bountiful def. Maple Mountain 25-19, 25-10, 25-23
• Mountain View def. Murray 25-20, 15-25, 26-24, 25-19
• Spanish Fork def. Box Elder 29-27, 25-20, 25-20
• Skyline def. Corner Canyon 21-25, 25-19, 23-25, 25-20, 15-8
• Timpview def. Olympus 25-8, 25-18, 25-8
• Salem Hills def. Bonneville 25-11, 26-24, 25-13
Quarterfinals, Friday
• Alta def. Springville 25-23, 27-25, 25-20
• Bountiful def. Mountain View 25-22, 25-9, 25-21
• Skyline def. Spanish Fork 25-15, 25-23, 25-23
• Timpview def. Salem Hills 21-25, 25-16, 25-14, 25-22
Semifinals, Saturday
• Alta vs. Bountiful, 10:30 a.m.
• Skyline vs. Timpview, 12:30 p.m.
Championship, Saturday
• Semifinal winners, 8 p.m. —
Storylines
R Alta beats No. 1 seed Springville in three straight sets to clinch a 4A semifinal berth against Bountiful after moving down to the classification last December.
• Alta, a team featuring only two seniors, held off Springville 25-23 and 27-25 in the first two sets after the Red Devils finished the regular season undefeated in Region 8.
• The other semifinal game pits No. 1 seed Skyline and against No. 1 seed Timpview on Saturday afternoon.