(PAYSON, Ariz.) Gilbert Christian volleyball ran the gamut at the Longhorn Invitational this weekend, sweeping opponents in pool and bracket play to claim the tournament's coveted championship. Sophomore Sienna Cathey stood out for the Knights, earning the top-individual honor of the weekend: tournament MVP.
GCHS dominated the opposition Friday, recording wins in four-consecutive matches without dropping a set. The feat required significant mental and physical effort, but the Knights proved up to the challenge, with a full day's worth of victories over Joseph City, Tonopah Valley, Northland Prep and Arizona Lutheran.
Saturday saw Gilbert Christian enter the bracketed portion of competition seeded as number one, which earned the squad a bye in the opening round of action.
Chandler Prep was first on the docket, though the result was much the same as the Knights cruised into the quarterfinal with a 2-0 sweep of the Titans. GCHS extended its unbeaten streak with decisive wins over Horizon Honors and Arizona Lutheran next, to clear its path into the championship.
The fourth and final match of Saturday began a little rocky, as the Knights dropped their first set of the weekend, 21-14, to challenger Paradise Honors. The second was a back-and-forth nail-biter (21-19) that saw Gilbert Christian ultimately persevere to force a third. In the tie-breaker, GCHS trailed early, but managed to regain composure and find a spark to overcome a late deficit and claim the crown (21-16).
Cathey led the way offensively against the Panthers, posting a match-best 12 kills (.400). Junior Alexia Heyn wasn't far off, with 10 of her own for the Knights.
Gilbert Christian registered six aces in the final. Half belonged to sophomore Lillie Duitsman, who also logged five kills, six digs, and four assists.
The Loth sisters, junior Sidney Loth and freshman Shay Loth, had a huge impact defensively, with eight and eleven digs, respectively. Sidney Loth also facilitated the attack at setter, where she dished 17 assists for the Knights.
Volleyball eagerly awaits its home opener on Wednesday, Sept. 4th (6:00pm) versus crosstown rival Valley Christian. The freshman game against the Trojans is scheduled for 4:00pm, and the junior varsity contest will take place at 5:00pm.
-GO KNIGHTS-
