Orem • The Mountain View High volleyball team came into Saturday’s 5A championship match against the Farmington Phoenix as something of an underdog. The Bruins finished the regular season second in the RPI, while the Phoenix were first.
But the numbers weren’t what played out on the court. The Bruins won the 5A championship behind a 3-1 (25-23, 14-25, 25-21, 25-14) victory over Farmington, which had not lost a set in the tournament before the title match, and had beat Mountain View in a tournament earlier in the season.
“I like that they focused on us,” Mountain View coach Jaicee Roden said. “I like that they focused on one ball at a time. I like that they came together and played as a family. I like that it was about the we, not the individual play. They really just did a good job.”
It’s Mountain View’s first state championship since 1982, when the program was in 3A.
“That’s huge for us,” Roden said. “It’s been a long time.”
Farmington started the first set by scoring six of the first seven points, forcing Mountain View to take an early timeout. The Bruins closed the gap and even tied it at 13-all, then again at 18, leading to a Farmington timeout.
A kill by the Bruins gave them a 20-19 lead, their first of the set. With the set tied at 23, the Bruins scored on a kill and a block to give them the 25-23 victory, which marked Farmington’s first lost set of the 5A tournament.
The Phoenix started the second set on a 7-2 run, eerily reminiscent to the first set. But unlike the first set, they held off the Bruins throughout, eventually tying the match at one set apiece with a 25-14 win.
The Phoenix struggled for the first portion of the third set, going down 14-9. They cut their deficit to 20-19, but they couldn’t get over the hump. The Bruins took the third set with an ace, 25-21.
The Bruins took an early 7-2 lead in the fourth set after an ace. Mountain View held Farmington at bay for the remainder of the set to win 25-14 and take the title.
Roden said a lot has changed since her team lost in straight sets to Farmington in a tournament earlier in the season.
“The biggest thing is we knew if we took care of the ball on our side, then we were going to be in a good spot,” Roden said.
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