High school girls volleyball: Corner Canyon puts on dominant display in win over Skyridge

Two of the best teams in 6A, let alone the state, squared off Tuesday in powerhouse Corner Canyon and electric Skyridge.

In the end, however, Corner Canyon was consistent from the start of the match to the finish, defeating Skyridge in straight sets 25-15, 25-21 and 25-22.

Corner Canyon played a complete match with several players standing out both offensively and defensively. Both Maija Mortensen and Berkleigh Minnick had eight kills apiece, while Maia Schwalger led the way with nine kills. Nafanua Alofipo also had a standout performance with 27 assists on the night.

One thing that Corner Canyon head coach Mindy Ricks has been preaching to her team all season long, especially as of late is the need to be getting out to fast and quick starts. Her team took that to heart and sprinted out to a quick 10-3 lead, never looking back.

“We’ve been working really hard on starting strong, and so it was nice to step up in that first set and see that they were ready to play. They were good to go. They were playing as a team. I was really impressed with just the grit they showed right from the start,” said Ricks.

After taking the opening set, Corner Canyon eased up just a little bit, allowing Skyridge to get out to a 8-4 lead to start the second set. That lead for Skyridge was short lived however, as Corner Canyon went on a commanding 12-0 run to take complete control and momentum of the match.

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“We kept saying pedal to the metal today. Pedal to the metal, keep pushing, ladies. I like that we made adjustments fast. If we backed off a little bit, the very next play, the girls were able to put the pedal to the metal, and they pushed and kept attacking,” added Ricks.

After losing just two sets so far this season and currently being ranked No. 1 in the state, Corner Canyon knows it is being hunted and has a massive target on its back.

Regardless, Ricks believes her team is thriving under the added pressure and is using all of the attention to help drive them forward and continuously improve as the season progresses.

“We have a target on our back, and we hear it everywhere we go. That pressure helps us when we work on our mindset and recognizing that the pressure is a privilege,” Ricks said.

“We’re going after it, and it’s an opportunity to learn to grow, and to continue being aggressive throughout the play, and to play as a team. So regardless of what’s going on on the court, if we play as a team, we’ll handle that pressure.”