Volleyball Eyeing State Title

Alex Bernal
November 16, 2009
Filed under Sports

The 11th-ranked Corona del Sol High School volleyball team is competing Tuesday at 8 p.m., against the No. 1-ranked Xavier Gators for the State Championship at Brophy College Prep.

Corona, now 30-13 for the season, recently beat the sixth-ranked Mountain Pointe in the first round with a narrow 3-2 victory. In the second round of the tournament, Corona defeated third-ranked Desert Vista, and in the semifinals, the Aztecs knocked off the second-ranked Gilbert Tigers.

“We have kept our energy, and stayed positive,” sophomore Hailey Kesteloot said. “We’ve worked as a team.”

The Aztecs have both won, 2-0, and lost, 3-0, against Xavier this year. Xavier came into the tournament as the No. 1 seed and has the target on their back with a 37-6 record for this year.

“We’re going to have to stay focused, push each other, and work hard as a team,” Kesteloot said.

Many factors are going to determine who wins this game including who shows up to play and the fans cheering them on.

“They (the fans) cheer us on no matter what the score may be,” junior Stephanie Kaup said. “They are truly dedicated.”