Su Valley spikers make school history

JEREMIAH BARTZ/Sports Editor

The Susitna Valley volleyball squad made school history over the weekend.

With a second-place finish in the 1-2-3A West Regional Volleyball Championships, the Rams earned a berth to the state tournament for the first time in school history.

The Rams have been close before, according to head coach Chad Valentine, finishing in second place of its region tournament in recent years. But in those seasons the winner of Su Valley's 2A tourney had to play through a 3A tournament in order to advance to the state title. The closest Su Valley came was a third-place finish in that tournament.

Before the season Su Valley opted to compete in the 1-2-3A West, to allign the Rams with teams similar in size and ability.

Su Valley defeated Ninilchik and Nikolaevsk in early rounds of the tournament. Kenny Lake swept Su Valley 3-0 in the final.

Heidi Hartley and Noelle Valentine were each named to the all-conference team. Hartley led the Rams with 10 kills in the final match. Valentine recorded 21 assists.

Hartley posted a team-high 14 kills in the win over Ninilchik.

Chad Valentine said it was the effort from a variety of players that led the Rams to their accomplishment.

"I credit a lot of this team's success to the bench," Valentine said. "We have some depth to fall back on and the support they give the players on the court made a huge difference."

Valentine, who has only four upperclassman on his squad, lists his depth in his freshman and sophomore classes.

Su Valley,who finished the regular season 17-4, now prepare for the 1-2-3A state tourney, held at Dimond High School,

Dec. 9-11.