Xavier breaks huddle after timeout during semifinal match with eventual champion Mater Dei (AzPreps365 photo) 

 

Xavier Prep volleyball coach Lamar-Renee Bryant watched her team rise to the occasion much of Friday and Saturday at the annual Nike Tournament of Champions Invite. 

The Gators -- No. 1 in the 6A conference power-rankings -- won their pool Friday with a 3-0 record. Swept their cross-pool foe Saturday morningto advance to the elite bracket of the tournament -- the Platinum -- and opened that effort by knocking off previously unbeaten Corona del Sol in three sets (23-25, 25-19, 15-11).

But Xavier's bid to win the Nike TOC fell short in the semis as Mater Dei of Santa Ana, Calif., managed a sweep of the Gators, 25-22, 25-18. That relegated Xavier to the third-place match. Xavier rebounded to finish third  as it took down Santa Magarita, Calif., in two sets. 25-20, 25-20. Corona del Sol took fifth by beating Millennium in two sets.

Mater Dei went on to win the Platinum title in three sets over previously unbeaten Walton, Scores were 21-25, 25-15, 15-8.

Xavier's victory over Corona del Sol, which snapped the Aztecs' 37-match winning streak dating back to last October, seemed a big deal for the Gators (21-2). And perhaps so since Corona won state last year and beat Xavier in five sets in the semis. 

Bryant wished the win over Corona hadn't taken on quite so much importance.

"I didn't know they'd won that many in a row," Bryant said. "But we remembered the loss in the semifinals. The match with Corona was a very good one. We didn't play well against Mater Dei. They have really strong middles and I hoped we'd serve better. The same effort wasn't there."

A 17-kill match for Xavier sophomore Briana McKnight and another 10 by senior Lanie Wagner paced the the Gators win over Corona. McNight chipped in 16 digs and two aces, Shannon Shields 31 assists and Alana Draper 21 digs. Corona was led by Brooke Nuneviller (12 kills) and Emma West and Madelyn Noble with seven apiece.

Mater Dei's middles made it tough on Xavier on the attack and defending. Wagner registered just six kills and McKnight only five in the semifinal match. Mater Dei's junior outside Natalie Berty posted 14 kills and middles Meg Brown, Kristina Pepek and Maddy Seybold combined for nine kills.

Four more Arizona schools had a shot a qualifying for the Platinum bracket. Horizon, Chaparral, Mountain Pointe and Basha lost in cross-pool play and settled for Gold Bracket play. Horizon finished second to Pope John Paul II in the Gold Bracket and Mountain Pointe defeated Basha for third.

Sandra Day O'Connor won the Bronze bracket defeating North Forsyth, GA in three sets. Skyline won the Pearl bracket in three sets over Arcadia.