LAYTON — Tricia Hoveley knows a lot more about playing the piano than she does about playing volleyball.
That doesn't mean, however, she's any kind of weak link for the top-ranked Viewmont Vikings.
On the contrary, she's filled a huge hole for the team that already boasts three all-state and future Division I players. Tuesday night, Hoveley, a first-year varsity starter, helped with five kills and three blocks as the team defeated Region 1 rival Layton in three games, 25-16, 25-13, 25-20.
She was admittedly nervous about stepping on the court with three of the best players in the state — Airial Salvo, Micah Lines and Cidney Judkins.
"I used to be really nervous, and sometimes I still am," said the junior, smiling. "They're just so-o-o good, especially Airial."
Salvo was last year's 5A MVP and led the team Tuesday with 16 kills, while Lines added 13 kills, five aces and two digs. Judkins had 28 assists and three aces.
Viewmont coach Lori Salvo said Hoveley has come along very quickly and filled a much-needed role in the middle. Hoveley is having so much success and fun, she's giving up teaching piano lessons to play club volleyball this winter.
"My mom teaches, too, so she's taking a lot of my students," Hoveley said. She's gaining confidence with each game, including the team's success last weekend in Vegas. "I loved Vegas; the teams were so good."
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The Vikings played other nationally ranked teams and finished fourth in the tournament.
Hoveley knows she needs to spend more time on the court to catch up with those players who've been involved in club programs for years.
"I started in junior high," she said. "This year at tryouts there were just two of us who hadn't played club and the other player got cut."
Although Lori Salvo thought her Vikings were a little flat compared with their play in Las Vegas, she was pleased with the outcome.
"We didn't make it look real beautiful, but we won," she said.
Layton put up quite a fight at the end leading on and off in the final game and coming up with some great rallies. Katie King finished with seven kills and five digs, while Jessica Carver added six kills and three blocks. Ashley McFarland had a great game defensively with seven digs.
In other games Tuesday:
REGION 1
DAVIS DEF. CLEARFIELD 25-17, 25-18, 25-11:Mikenzy Flint had 31 assists and three aces to lead Davis. Kayla Walker added 18 kills and 12 digs for the Darts.
WEBER DEF. FREMONT 25-20, 25-18, 25-14:Jenalyn Oman led the Warriors with 12 kills, while Cami Douglas added 6 kills and Sage Ebert had 10 blocks. Setters Kelsey Green and Christa Hubbard combined for 27 assists.
REGION 2
BRIGHTON DEF. COPPER HILLS 25-10, 25-18, 25-14:Sage Aune had eight kills, two blocks, and four aces to pace Brighton.
ALTA DEF. HILLCREST 20-25, 26-24, 25-22, 25-13: The Huskies ran out of gas against the fifth-ranked Hawks Tuesday. Hillcrest setter Sivolene Ika played a great game in the region two loss.
WEST JORDAN DEF. JORDAN 25-20, 25-19, 27-25: West Jordan eeked out a win in the third and final game, narrowly escaping Jordan with a 27-25 win.
BINGHAM DEF. RIVERTON 25-14, 25-17, 25-20:Kris Hymas ended up with 19 kills and five blocks and Buffy Godfrey added 13 more kills for the Miners in their three-game sweep. Stephanie Zollinger assisted on 33 points and Michelle Campbell had three kills and two blocks.
REGION 5
BOUNTIFUL DEF. WEST 25-20, 14-25, 25-13, 25-19: Braves' Kate Nelson complied 14 kills and 15 digs and Andrea Johnson added 11 kills and 14 digs.
HIGHLAND DEF. EAST 25-20, 23-25, 25-22, 25-23: Highland's Kaylynn Daniels led her team with 18 kills.
MURRAY DEF. OLYMPUS 25-10, 25-12, 25-19: 4A MVP Candidate Lori Baird had 13 kills and 16 digs for Murray. Blakely Peppinger and Kristen Lemmert both served well for the Spartans.
WOODS CROSS DEF. CYPRUS 25-15, 25-12, 25-18: Wildcats' Kathryn Lovell and Niesha Wilkinson led their squad. Lovell finished with 21 kills while Wilkinson added 19 assists and seven digs.
REGION 8
CARBON DEF. DELTA 25-17, 25-12, 29-27: Carbon earned its first Region 8 win with a three-game straight win.
EMERY DEF. LEHI 25-14, 25-15, 20-25, 21-25, 15-8: The Spartans held-on for a close win over the Pioneers.
REGION 9
HURRICANE DEF. PINE VIEW 25-23, 26-24, 27-25: Hurricane defeated the Panthers in straight games. Kalisa Richardson had seven kills for Pine View.
REGION 10
WASATCH DEF. GRANITE 25-16, 25-9, 25-13: Wasatch allowed only nine points to Granite in the second game en route to a decisive win.
UINTAH DEF. PARK CITY 25-12, 16-25, 16-25, 25-21, 15-8: Uintah's Maggie Bartel and Lexi White combined for 23 kills.
JUDGE MEMORIAL DEF. UNION 25-22, 26-24, 25-17: Judge Memorial earned its first region win with a three-game decision.
REGION 11
OGDEN DEF. BEAR RIVER 24-26, 20-25, 25-22, 28-26, 15-13: Trailing 2-1, Odgen rebounded to win the match in five games. Bear River's Katie Christiansen had 42 assists.
MORGAN DEF. BEN LOMOND 25-7, 25-4, 25-11: Eli Rees had 15 service points and 15 kills, while BreAnne Haslam had eight kills for the Trojans.
GRANTSVILLE DEF. TOOELE 25-23, 20-25, 25-19, 25-12:Sherife Herrera led Grantsville with five kills.
REGION 12
SOUTH SEVIER DEF. MANTI 25-14, 25-14, 26-24: Rams' Kascee Jacobs and Layken Brown controlled the net with a combined 18 kills.
RICHFIELD DEF. GUNNISON 25-18, 25-10, 25-9: Richfield played solidly as a team to defeat the Bulldogs in straight games.
REGION 13
BEAVER DEF. ENTERPRISE 25-22, 25-10, 22-25, 25-18: Enterprise's Emilee Truman had 15 assists and four digs.
REGION 14
NORTH SUMMIT DEF. SOUTH SUMMIT 25-22, 25-18, 26-24:Brenna Judd's 19 kills contributed to North Summit's quick decision.
JUAB DEF. ROWLAND HALL 28-26, 25-21, 25-21:Sally Smalley had an outstanding service game for the Wasps.
REGION 16 S.
ALTAMONT DEF. DUCHESNE 23-25, 25-8, 25-23, 25-21:Lindsay Mullins had seven blocks and five aces for Altamont.
REGION 17
WATERFORD DEF. SALT LAKE LUTHERAN 25-10, 25-22, 25-15: Junior blocker Meridith Phipps held the net for Waterford, notching nine kills and three blocks.
LAYTON CHRISTIAN DEF. INTERMOUNTAIN CHRISTIAN 23-25, 25-16, 25-14, 26-24:Philicia Friedman and Ashley Moore both had 100 percent serving for Layton Christian in the win. Friedman also had four aces and nine kills.
ST. JOSEPH DEF. MOUNT VERNON 25-14, 25-14, 25-18:Bailie Hamblin had seven aces and four assists as St. Joseph beat the Patriots. Mount Vernon outside hitter Katherine Jensen had a solid game in defeat.
REGION 18
TINTIC DEF. WASATCH ACADEMY 25-10, 25-17, 25-12: Tintic's agressive play led to a straight-game win.
NONREGION
SKYLINE DEF. ROY 25-13, 21-25, 25-20, 25-9:Ashley England had 13 kills and Courtney Latteier added 10 kills, six digs and three aces for Skyline.
E-mail: adonaldson@desnews.com