By Brittany Bowyer
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PHOENIX — Notre Dame Prep volleyball put a bow on an outstanding 2026 season by bringing home the 5A state championship trophy on Saturday night.

The top-ranked Saints were able to sweep reigning champion and No. 3 seed Chaparral in front of a packed crowd at Veterans Memorial Coliseum. For the Saints, they couldn’t believe the moment they’d worked so hard for was finally theirs to cherish.

“It’s just amazing,” Coach Alexandra Sandoval said. “This is such a big deal for them. They’ve worked so hard, and it’s such a deserving moment for them. We’re just so happy for them that they get to experience this.”

It is the school's fourth volleyball title, and first since the 4A crown in 2021.

“It feels so surreal,” senior Lucy Solorzano said. “Every year it’s the same goal, the state championship, but you don’t know truly how much it means and what it feels like until you get there, and especially until you win. It’s genuinely just the most surreal, unbelievable feeling ever and it’s amazing. I love every second of it.”

The Saints knew it was going to be a battle, but they were prepared. The two Scottsdale schools faced off twice earlier in the season with Notre Dame Prep getting the upper hand both times.

“I think for us, obviously going in 2-0, we are going in confident,” Sandoval said. “We know exactly what we’re doing, we know what we’re capable of. We always have to expect our opponent, no matter who they are, to make changes, which they did. But for us, when you see a team three times, you’re also very comfortable and kind of learn their players a little bit more.”

Set one got underway with the top seed finding a quick rhythm. Following a kill from Lucy Solorzano and an ace from junior Kenzie Schwab, NDP was up 8-3 and Chaparral decided to call a time out.

Notre Dame Prep was able to continue building on the lead, with Solorzano exploding for two more kills and an ace to make it 14-6.

Chaparral called another timeout at this point to try to avoid the Saints from pulling away any furhter, but it wouldn’t be until the Saints built a 20-12 lead that the Firebirds would start to rally.

Starting with a serve out of bounds, the Firebirds started to ascend from the hole they were in.

NDP was able to take a 24-17 lead, but struggled to close out the first set, allowing Chaparral to score three straight. The Saints called a timeout to try to get the final point, but the Firebirds were determined to make a comeback.

After the time out, Chaparral notched a kill from junior Morgan Thorne, a point from a ball hit out of bounds and an ace from sophomore Sarah Hodgson to cut the lead to 24-23 and force the Saints into using another timeout.

Chaparral was able to tie things at 24 with a kill from freshman Ellie Milton. However, Notre Dame Prep found the spark they needed behind senior Aubrey Stevens, who got the kill to make it 25-24 before a violation by the Firebirds would give the Saints the set point.

Taking set one 26-24, the Saints were up 1-0.

Chaparral grabbed a second set lead, but NDP came back and tie things at five off a tandem block from senior Elizabeth Hackleman and sophomore Kiley Hail. A ball hit out of bounds by the Firebirds gave the Saints the 6-5 lead, leading Chaparral to call a timeout.

Coming out of the time out, NDP scored four straight to make it 10-5. From there, the Saints slowly built the lead, working their way to a 20-10 advantage off a block from Lucy Solorzano and a kill from junior Sofia Wallen.

At this point, the Saints were hot, and they went on to close out the set 25-12 on a ball hit out of bounds by Chaparral. After two sets, the Firebirds feeling the pressure.

In set three, both teams fought to establish dominance. Notre Dame Prep was finally able to break away to a bit of a lead with a block from Hail and Stevens and a kill from Stevens, but Chaparral kept things close.

After a kill from Lucy Solorzano, a block from Sylvie Solorzano and a kill from Hail, the Saints led 17-12, bringing Chaparral to call a time out as their chances of a repeat were slipping through their fingers.

The Firebirds were able to dig deep, going on a 5-2 tun to cut the lead to 19-17 and force the Saints to call a time out. Chaparral came back to tie things at 19 on an ace from freshman Natalie Falkenborg and a block from Thorne.

However, Notre Dame Prep was able to turn on the jets and run away with the match and crown.

It was only fitting that two of the seniors who contributed all over the court all season were the two who closed things out. Hackleman slapped the ball down to make it 24-20, while Lucy Solorzano had the final kill to seal the deal.

“I looked for my girl (Hackleman) first,” Lucy Solorzano said, after watching the final point come to fruition. “I’ve been with her since I was 12, and we’ve been through it together. I was immediately so happy I just went and hugged her and I hugged everyone else and it was such an amazing experience.”

Lucy Solorzano, who finished the game with 12 kills, an assist, two aces and a block, won the game’s MVP award.

“It feels amazing,” Lucy Solorzano said about winning the award. “I feel so loved, I’m so grateful.”

Sandoval said from an early point in the season that she and her coaching staff felt this was a special group of girls who had the potential to win the state championship.

They’ll leave behind a legacy on campus, as they brought home the program’s fourth one. Sandoval said this one’s a little different from the others, as each has a special meaning.

“This is techinically our first one in 5A, which I think to us is such a big deal because it’s such a competitive conference,” Sandoval said. “I feel like any day, it can go to whoever, so it’s a really hard achievement. For them to be able to dominate, it’s just amazing.”

Az Newsmedia/Chandler Parkinson

Az Newsmedia/Chandler Parkinson

Az Newsmedia/Chandler Parkinson

Az Newsmedia/Chandler Parkinson

Az Newsmedia/Chandler Parkinson

Az Newsmedia/Chandler Parkinson

Brittany Bowyer is a Report for America corps member, covering sports for Independent Newsmedia in Arizona. Report for America places talented journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and regions.