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WEST VALLEY PREPS

Cactus volleyball sweeps Peoria for play-in prep

Posted 10/30/19

This senior night, Cactus girls volleyball was all business.

After losing to rival Peoria in the same scenario last year, the 2019 Cobras left no doubt.

Cactus (10-14, 5-3 region) fell down 3-0 in the first set but dominated from there.

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WEST VALLEY PREPS

Cactus volleyball sweeps Peoria for play-in prep

Posted

This senior night, Cactus girls volleyball was all business.

After losing to rival Peoria in the same scenario last year, the 2019 Cobras left no doubt.

Cactus (10-14, 5-3 region) fell down 3-0 in the first set Oct. 29, then dominated, sweeping the Panthers 25-17, 25-16, 25-21.

"It's always tough emotionally on senior night. This year we decided to laugh and have fun and not put so much pressure on ourselves. It seemed like it worked," Cactus coach Anthony Puglisi said.

That eaned Cactus a #14 seed and the Cobras will host #19  Flagstaff Coconino at 6:30 tonight.

Win that and the Cobras might see a familiar foe in the first round. Greenway is the likely No. 3 seed based on the rankings just before brackets were announced.

Puglisi said the main goal is to get this roster with four sophomores and three freshmen as much experience in big time high school volleyball as possible.

"I think we have the opportunity to surprise somebody. I'd like to see some teams more than others but our goal is to learn, because Deer Valley is not going anywhere - there's a lot of juniors on that team. And Greenway and Flagstaff are always going to be good," Puglisi said.

Plus, the younger players would like to extend the careers of the four Cobras seniors.

That mindset started with senior night.

"This is the first team I've felt like we were so connected off the bat. Everyone knows someone from somewhere else. Our first team bonding, we already felt 100 percent as a team," senior outside hitter Maddie Diveley said.

Diveley is the veteran of the group. Olivia Lee was recruited as a middle blocker midway through her sophomore year.

Setter Daphne Dugan joined the varsity last year while Meghan Locklear is up for her first year as a senior.

"Liv is  a great athlete and she has scholarships for basketball all over the place. But she's starting to get looked at for volleyball too and is opening her eyes to that," Puglisi said. "Meghan has always played on high-level club teams. We were heavy at her position for the last couple years, so unfortunately this is her first chance. They've both stepped up to the challenge. They're both pressures, to tell you the truth, by the three freshmen  -  two of which are middles."

Lee led the Cobras against Peoria with 11 kills. Locklear got a senior night start.

Freshman Amanda Lauer usually starts at middle blocker, sat down with the sore back. Classmate Katelyn Beehler is already the primary setter.

"It's common for freshmen to doubt themselves and they did. But for most of the season two of them have started," Puglisi said.

Those two, plus sophomore outside hitter Riley Henige and sophomore libero Leah John have coaches and players convinced Cactus will contend soon.

"I strongly believe this team can win a state championship, whether its this year or next. Every time we go into practice, we get 10 times better. The younger girls are stepping up so much," Diveley said.