Don’t be surprised if Millennium is No. 1 in 5A when the first volleyball power rankings of the season come out Tuesday.

The Tigers along with Verrado and Cactus Shadows were the only 5A teams with one loss heading into this week’s matches. After Millennium swept region mate Verrado 25-17, 25-22, 25-15 Monday, make that two teams.

In their first match of the season, Cactus Shadows also failed to beat Millennium (15-1, 5-0 in Desert West Region) at the Rise and Roar Center, the Tigers new and shiny den.

Head coach Julie Vastine (with glasses) is in her 27th year of teaching at Millennium. Her daughter Jessica (standing next to Vastine) is an assistant and a former player at Millennium. The Tigers are seeking their fifth consecutive trip to the 5A final. "I thought we played a little sluggish," Vastine said. "It felt like a Monday practice. The little details weren’t as good as they could have been. That part I was a little disappointed in. But overall the tempo was good. They made good defensive plays."

Verrado's Michael Lopez used to coach volleyball and basketball at Millennium for about five seasons. He took over Verrado this season three days before school started. "We did some good things but didn’t play up to our potential," he said after the match. "I don’t know if we were tired coming off a tournament and having only one day of rest. They (Tigers) are a good team. We’ve played some good teams but not as good as Millennium. For us to stay in it we just have to be a bit more efficient." (Photo by Jose Garcia/azpreps365.com) 

One of the advantages of Millennium's new digs is the student cheer section positioned right behind the home team. (Photo by Jose Garcia/azpreps365.com)

A Verrado player dove for a ball during a dig attempt in the second game. (Photo by Jose Garcia/azpreps365.com) 

Millennium's bench players celebrate after a kill by one of their teammates. (Photo by Jose Garcia/azpreps365.com) 

Verrado's Journey Tucker is a force up front. Her elbows were often above the net when she blocked during Monday's match. (Photo by Jose Garcia/azpreps365)