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The Susitna Valley Rams were playing for their second state championship in three seasons. But this time, Su Valley fell just short.
Birchwood Christian edged the Rams 30-25 in the if necessary game and claimed the state crown during the final day of the ASAA/First National Bank 2A State Volleyball Championships Saturday evening at Palmer High School.
Su Valley won a state title in 2021.
The Rams forced the if necessary best-to-30 set in the double-elimination bracket with a 3-1 (20-25, 25-23, 25-21, 28-26) victory in the championship match.
Su Valley grabbed a big lead early in the decisive fourth set. Sophomore Layne Burke used a kill to give the Rams a double-digit lead, at 14-4. Sophomore Lily Esmailka also had a pair of kills during a seven-point run that built the 10-point lead.
Birchwood Christian did rally, tying the score at 20 later in the set. Burke had two kills during the final four points, and Burke and Ashley Delima had consecutive kills to cement the win in the fourth set, and force the if necessary set.
After Birchwood took a 4-3 lead in the if necessary set, the Warriors never trailed again.
It was the second night in the tournament that the Borealis Conference rivals met. Birchwood punched its ticket to the state championship match with a 3-0 (25-22, 25-22, 25-22) win over the Rams Friday night. With the double-elimination format, the Rams had a chance to play their way back into the championship match, and beat Metlekatla 3-1 (25-23, 25-16, 22-25, 25-6) Saturday morning.
Su Valley opened with a 3-1 (25-10, 14-25, 25-20, 25-8) victory over Dillingham Thursday morning in the first round, and followed with a 3-1 (25-16, 25-23, 23-25, 25-19) win over Metlekatla later that day.
The Rams notched their third straight top-three finish in the 2A state tourney Saturday. Su Valley was third last year and won it all in 2021.
Su Valley also only has one senior on the 2023 roster.
Contact the Frontiersman at sports@frontiersman.com.
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