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South Jordan • Everyone with the Bingham volleyball program knew, between graduation and transfers, that this season might be different than past ones.

Still, as the Region 7 schedule commenced for the Miners on Tuesday, Bingham showed it's still a "next-level" type of program.

Copper Hills entered 6-4 overall and 1-0 in region play, but quickly succumbed to the Miners in a 25-10, 25-12, 25-19 sweep.

"I feel like we've made huge strides in figuring out who we've got on our team," said Bingham coach Melissa Glasker, whose daughter Torre was a star for the Miners last year but is now playing for the University of Utah.

"I think I have other girls who can put the ball down. It's more of the ball-control, the leadership — every volleyball team needs a leader," Glasker said. "We're slowly establishing those roles on our team."

Junior Seleisa Elisaia is providing a dual presence for the Miners as a setter and effective outside hitter. Against Copper Hills, Elisaia recorded eight kills, five blocks and a pair of aces while sharing setting duties with sophomore Brynlie Huntsman.

"She's really fun to coach, because she can kind of do everything," said Glasker. "It's hard for her to play both roles — to know she's setting and has to get every ball when she's back row and to know she's one of our big hitters when she's front row — but we feel like she's better in those two positions than being one or the other."

"I just see myself as pushing these girls to better themselves and to better myself," Elisaia said. "Wherever the team needs help, I'll go."

Sophomore Sisi Kaili added seven kills from her outside hitting position and was effective serving with five aces. Kaili and Elisaia were behind the service line for most of the first set as Bingham cruised early.

Bingham (4-6, 1-0), which also got four kills from sophomore Journey Tupea, only ran into a modicum of trouble in the third set. After leading 14-7, the Miners saw Copper Hills regroup and come within a point thanks to a 7-1 run.

But three straight errors by the Grizzlies ended that threat as Bingham soon clinched the match.

Copper Hills, like Bingham, uses one of its top hitting threats as a setter. But junior Taela Laufiso didn't share her setting duties in a normal fashion as fellow setter MaKayla King was out of action for the night.

The Grizzlies eventually brought in junior varsity setter Baileigh Beebe to complement Laufiso in the third set.

"She (King) allows Taela to hit outside. Our regular rotation is to use two setters," Copper Hills coach Silver Fonua said. "In hindsight, I might have tried that earlier, but I kind of needed to see what we could do."

Laufiso finished three kills and three blocks for the Grizzlies, while senior Keira Larsen added five kills.

"Bingham has been doing this for years. They have a tradition of winning, they have the culture — something we're trying to get ourselves," said Fonua, in his second year as the Grizz' head coach after serving for three as an assistant. "This is the strongest team we've had. In the region, I think we have a very good chance of going to state — that's our plan, that's our goal."