(PHOENIX, Ariz.) For the first time in program history, Gilbert Christian girls volleyball will play for a state championship.
The top-seeded Knights swept No. 8 Yuma Catholic and No. 5 Snowflake on Saturday at Mountain Pointe High School, winning six consecutive sets to advance to the AIA 3A State Championship.
Gilbert Christian opened the quarterfinals with a commanding 25-7, 25-16, 25-8 victory over Yuma Catholic, controlling the match from the opening serve.
Senior outside hitter Lillie Duitsman led the attack with 17 kills on .533 hitting, committing just one error in 30 attempts. The Knights also delivered 11 service aces, keeping the Shamrocks under pressure throughout the match.
Sophomore setter Quinn Ehler distributed 34 assists and recorded four aces, while junior defensive specialist Sophie Addink added three. Freshman Thalia Day and junior Ashlyn Kirby contributed seven kills apiece, and junior Ella Ray finished with six kills on .455 hitting. Junior libero Shay Loth anchored the back row with 12 digs.
The semifinal presented a considerably tougher challenge.
Facing a Snowflake program that captured consecutive 3A state championships in 2022 and 2023, Gilbert Christian prevailed 25-18, 26-24, 25-21.
Duitsman elevated her performance with 27 kills on .471 hitting, adding 11 digs as the Knights battled through three competitive sets. Loth delivered a match-high 28 digs, helping lead a defensive effort that produced 75 digs.
Kirby added eight kills, while Day contributed six. Gilbert Christian finished with 50 putdowns and a .243 hitting percentage.
The second set proved pivotal. With Gilbert Christian holding a narrow 25-24 advantage, sophomore Kendall Jarnagan delivered a clutch service ace that trickled over the net, sealing the 26-24 victory. The Knights then held off Snowflake in the third set, 25-21, with Duitsman fittingly hammering home the match-winning kill to send Gilbert Christian to its first state championship match.
Duitsman combined for 44 kills across the two matches, helping the Knights advance beyond the state semifinals after falling to Valley Christian in five sets a year ago.
Now, the same two programs will meet with the 2026 title on the line.
No. 1 Gilbert Christian will face No. 2 Valley Christian in the AIA 3A State Championship on Saturday, November 14, at 12:15 p.m. at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix. The Trojans enter as the two-time defending state champions, while the Knights bring two regular-season victories over their rivals into the title match.
-GO KNIGHTS-
