By Brittany Bowyer
Mail

SCOTTSDALE — It was an exciting Thursday night for the top-ranked Notre Dame Prep Saints on the volleyball court. The Saints were able to sweep No. 4 Horizon 3-0 in the 5A semifinals, advancing on to the State Championship on Saturday.

“Their confidence is fantastic and we couldn’t ask for anything more from them,” Notre Dame Prep Head Coach Alexandra Sandoval said.

“I think there were times throughout the match where you really saw our team, but I think that we didn’t show us consistently enough,” Horizon Head Coach McKenna Skaggs said. “In those really long-battled rallies, you saw us. We just weren’t consistent with it.”

It was the third meeting of the two teams this season, as the had gone 1-1 in the previous two matches.

“I think when you see a team like this multiple times, and a talented team, you start to get more familiar with them the more that you play them,” Sandoval said. “Our last two matches that we had against them, we didn’t play our best. Our last match against them, even when we won in five, our passing wasn’t really there and we knew that... But yeah, I think when you play a team like this you just get more familiar with them and you kind of get to know more of their players and their trends.”

The energy in the gym was off the charts, as students from both schools packed the stands.

In the first set, Horizon jumped out to an early 10-5 lead before Notre Dame Prep started found some momentum. Back-to-back kills from senior Lucy Solorzano would tie the set at 13.

But Horizon was able to inch back on top. After the Huskies worked their way out to an 18-15 lead, Notre Dame Prep was forced to call a timeout.

Out of the timeout, NDP made a push, cutting Horizon’s lead to 20-19. Horizon answered by calling a timeout to talk things over and regroup.

Sophomore Sylvie Solorzano was able to put down an ace coming out of the timoeut to tie things, but Horizon answered with a kill from junior Nia Tinsley to regain the lead. Consecutive kills from Lucy Solorzano put NDP back on top 22-21, before the Saints were able to slap down one more kill and force Horizon into burning its second timeout.

Horizon came back to tie things in set one at 24 on a kill by Tinsley, but NDP closed out the set with a kill from senior Elizabeth Hackleman and a block from Sylvie Solorzano. After taking set one 26-24, the Saints were up 1-0.

Set two started off with both teams pushing to establish the upper hand, but after a kill from Sylvie Solorzano and a hit into the net, NDP found themselves holding on to a 7-5 lead. From there, the Saints were able to keep building on the lead, eventually bringing Horizon to call a timeout trailing 12-8.

The Saints were able to explode coming out of the timeout, working their way to an 18-10 lead. Horizon used its final timeout, but it would be too late for the Huskies. NDP was able to run away with set two 25-15. with the set point coming on a block by Hackleman.

For Horizon, it was now or never, as they faced elimination.

Set three oce again got off to a close start, with the lead changing hands several times. After tying things at 8, NDP was able to break away to a 10-8 lead off an ace and a kill from Lucy Solorzano. Senior Aubrey Stevens, who had been hot all night hammered home two kills and an ace to extend the lead to 15-11. Horizon, feeling the shift in momentum, called a timeout to try to reset.

Out of the timeout, Stevens had another ace to extend the lead and keep the momentum going for the Saints. After another block from Sylvie Solorzano and an ace from Hackleman, the Huskies used their final timeout of the set trailing 20-14.

Focused and ready to close out the set, the Saints went back out on the court and behind a red-hot Lucy Solorzano, were able to close out the set 25-16.

Immediately after winning the match 3-0 the student section spilled out onto the court, jumping around and screaming with excitement over the accomplishment of the team. The Saints would be heading to the 2026 5A State Championship game. They’ll face region foe No. 3 Chaparral on Saturday at Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum.

Meanwhile for Horizon, their season comes to a close, bringing with it a ton of emotions and tears. Skaggs noted some of these players have been with her since she took over the program, and it’s going to be hard to replicate what some of the seniors bring to the table.

“Our middle blocker that I moved to the outside, No. 18 Olivia Kauffman, has been on varsity since her freshman year,” Skaggs said. “She’s been with me since I took over the program, and that’s gonna be a really big hole to fill defensively.... Another middle blocker and senior, Emme Agasi, she is our energy and the light of our team. She’s gonna leave a real big hole energy-wise. Our right side attacker Kinsley Gallagher, I mean, all three of them height-wise is leaving a big hole, but even just attacking and offensively. No. 1 Isabelle McIlroy, she’s done an amazing job for us defensively as a ds... Even Sienna Galli, coming in and being able to perfom under pressure is big, too.”

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.