Clearfield 3, Riverton 2
Clearfield and Riverton took turns exchanging blows in their non-region matchup Tuesday night, but it was the Falcons who managed to eek out the necessary points to claim a 5-set victory. Early on, it looked as though Clearfield was on their way to quick win after it managed wins of three and two points in the opening two sets, respectively.
But a Riverton comeback surged, as the Silverwolves used 25-23 victory in the fourth to force a final set—which Clearfield won 15-11. Eliza Jones recorded 17 digs and three aces, while Brooklyn Hawks notched 11 kills for the Falcons, who hope the hard-earned, season-opening victory will give them momentum as they head into the rest of the season.
“There were times tonight where we played really high level volleyball. We have some things we need to fine tune and work through, but overall we are really excited at the standard we set tonight as a team,” said Clearfield coach Brooke Pehrson.
Bountiful 3, Brighton 0
The reigning 5A champions have started their 2022 campaign off about as good as they could’ve hoped. With a straight-set win over Brighton Tuesday night, the Redhawks improved to 2-0 and have yet to allow more than 18 points in any set.
Sophomore Taylor Harvey led the way with 13 kills and two blocks, while her older sister, Jordyn, recorded 10 kills, eight digs and three aces. Evalyn Chism contributed a cool 31 assists, to go along with three aces. It’s still early, but Bountiful looks ready to take on the mantle as the top team in 5A once again.
“I was happy with how we served and passed today. It’s early, and we are still working to improve on a lot of things. So we will continue to focus on our side of the net and finding our team rhythm,” said Bountiful coach Sarah Chism.
Judge Memorial 3, Logan 2
It was the 3A Bulldogs who came out on top in this 3A-4A matchup Tuesday night, as they defeated Logan in five sets on their home floor. The teams traded sets from beginning to end, but Judge came out on fire in the fifth set, cruising to a 15-6 victory to secure its first win of the season.
The Judge squad, which fell in the second round of the 3A playoffs last year, will now look to build on the momentum the win generated.
“I am super proud of our ladies and how they played tonight. They showed their tenacity and work ethic through some pretty tough runs. It feels great to start this season on such a high note and we will continue to put in the work necessary to get the results we want,” said Judge coach Taylor Gustafson.
Green Canyon 3, South Summit 1
Projected to be a top team in 4A, the Green Canyon Wolves managed to get a 4-set victory over South Summit Tuesday night to start their season in the victory column.
After one set, though, it looked as though the Wildcats had a chance to pull off the upset with a 27-25 result, but the Wolves rattled off three straight sets to come out victorious. It wasn’t a blowout, but the tough test from South Summit gave the Wolves some solid experience as they head into 2022.
“It’s always nice to start the season on a W. It was a battle tonight and I was proud of how resilient our girls were. I’m excited about our group and the potential they have this season,” said Green Canyon head coach Madison Larsen.
Bingham 3, Woods Cross 1
The Bingham Miners, the third ranked 6A team in the preseason coaches poll, started their season off with a victory Tuesday night, but it didn’t come with complete ease.
After Woods Cross stole the first set 25-22, the Miners were forced to grind out tough wins in the ensuing three sets—including 2-point wins in the final two (26-24 and 27-25). The tough result against a tough Wildcats side proved to be a solid first test for a team expected to challenge in the state’s biggest classification.
“Today was a great start to our season! We see where we are now, and this young team is excited to grow and learn to compete at a high level,” said Bingham coach Andrew Romero.