Sammy Nute is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Valley Christian High School for AZPreps365.com

Every Valley Christian Trojans girls volleyball (21-6) game is an event.

Spotlights.

Announcers.

Loud Crowds.

But everything was a little more special in Wednesday night's 3-0 (25-22, 25-14, 25-15) win over Gilbert Christian (14-10).

Since 2016, the Valley Christian volleyball team has hosted Dig for a Cure. The event began when then-libero Megan Davies wanted to do something to honor her mom, Michelle Davies, who is now a 15-year breast cancer survivor. Davies went to her dad, assistant coach Bob Davies, and asked him to help her organize an event that Valley Christian could put on to support breast cancer survivors.

Now six years into the event, Dig for a Cure does not just raise awareness for breast cancer. It now raises money and support for all different types of cancers. In 2022, it also expanded to schools outside of just Valley Christian to seven other schools across Arizona.

"It just started growing and growing and growing," assistant coach, and founder of the event, Bob Davies, said. "Today, it is an event that happens at eight different high schools, and every school is raising money that all goes to the same beneficiary Virginia G Piper Cancer Center and Honor Health Systems."

The Trojans have not played a game in a little over a week following their impressive 3-2 record in the Southern California Volleyball Invitational. So, with a bit of rust to knock off, the Trojans got off to a slow start as the first set was tied 7-7 through the first 14 points.

Head coach Tyler Trathen went to his young players to spark a rally to break out of that slump. Despite a lot of inexperience on the court, Trathen said he has all the confidence in his girls. Sophomore middle blocker Kelsey Brooks got off to a fantastic start for the Trojans scoring four of the Trojans' first 12 points. Valley Christian also got contributions from freshman outside hitter Claire Gilbert who started and finished the first set with a kill.

"They just show a lot of grit," said Trathen. "They show a lot of tenacity. I just love that they all have very calm personalities which allows them to be very calm on the court."

After finishing the first set in a tight 25-23 match, the Trojans again got off to a slow start at the beginning of the second set. This time instead of going to their young players, the Trojans looked to their senior leaders. Down 4-6 early in the second set, outside hitter Korah Nordin scored three straight kills to put the Trojans on top. Then later in the set, following a one-handed set from Madison Brown, senior middle blocker Kate Phillips scored a strong kill that pumped up the whole gym. The Trojans went on to win the third set 25-14.

"I love all of our younger players, and we are really building up our program for later years, and they are all amazing," said Phillips. "Especially as a senior, we talk about leaving our legacy on the court and just being a mentor to those younger girls."

The rust was off when the third set started, resulting in the Trojans opening the final set with nine straight points to get out to a 9-0 lead. Leading the way this time was sophomore outside hitter Taylor Miser. Miser scored four of the Trojans' first eight kills in the third set. With a nine-point cushion, the Trojans closed the match out 25-15 in the third set.

Valley Christian (26-6) will say goodbye to their seniors on senior night Monday, Oct. 24, at 6 p.m.