The field is set. A season’s worth of results has created the possibility of four more matches. Winning it all, hoisting the trophy and putting a banner in the school’s rafters will happen for one team.

So what does it take?

A lot of coaches mention getting hot at the right time while others feel like team chemistry is vital in pressure situations. Pedigree, players who have been in big matches before, brings calmness to the floor, while there’s no denying luck factors in as well.

The 5A girls state volleyball tournament gets underway Thursday and runs through Saturday, Nov. 14 with the championship game at 4:45 p.m. at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

“Consistency, discipline, and the ability to handle adversity,” Verrado coach Tiffany Liddile said when asked about the factors on making a deep run. “At this point, everybody has talent. Everybody has earned the opportunity to be there. What separates teams is how they respond when things aren't going their way.

“You have to trust your teammates, stay mentally tough, and understand that every single point matters.”

The Vipers certainly have done that throughout the season to go undefeated – 16-0 - in regular season game to earn the No. 2 seed. They will be on the opposite of the bracket from No. 1 Notre Dame (15-2), while defending champion Chaparral (13-4) and Horizon (11-6) are third and fourth, respectively.

Coming in at No. 5 is Ironwood (13-4) with Salpointe (14-3), Sunrise Mountain (11-6) and Pueblo (15-2) rounding out the top eight seeds.

Chaparral won it last year as the top seed, beating second-seeded Sunrise Mountain in a five-setter.

This year’s field is deep and getting through the next three rounds to make the finals will be well earned. There are several teams with championship pedigree as the Firebirds took it all last years, ending Horizon’s four-year run as 5A champs.

“A lot will come down to the will to win and where you are mentally,” Notre Dame coach Ali Svorinic said.

The Saints have made a big jump this season, going from fourth in their region a year ago, to the top overall seed. They were the fourth seed last year and lost in the quarterfinals to No. 5 Centennial.

“This season has exceeded my expectations,” Svorinic said. “We have such a fun group this year, super connected with one another and very positive atmosphere. Overall, we are a very dynamic team and have multiple threats. I think that’s what gives us so many options within our offense and balance.”

Notre Dame, which is 24-7 overall, is led by a trio of seniors Lucy Solorzano, Elizabeth Hackleman, Aubrey Stevens on offensive attacks, while junior Kenzie Schwab led the team in digs and junior Sofia Wallen is the leader in blocks.

Verrado, which is 24-10 overall, had one of those season that might change the trajectory of the program. The Vipers have won 30 plus games in a season before but they were the 10th seed a year ago and enter the tournament this year as the No. 2.

“Coming into this season, I definitely had expectations for us to be further along in certain areas, and there are some matches I really feel we should have won,” Liddile said. “But being in my first year with this program, I also understood that we were building something. We had to establish a new culture, new expectations, and get the girls to really buy into what we were trying to accomplish.”

Chaparral, which finished 24-10, comes in attempting to win another championship trophy.  The Firebirds are led by a sophomore in Sarah Hodgson, who went from 140 kills last year to 297 this campaign, while junior Morgan Thorne makes a good combo at 199 kills. Hodgson also leads the team in assists at 317, while senior Chloe Caplan is right there at 288.

On the other side of the bracket is region foe Horizon as it attempts to end the championship hiatus at one year after winning the previous four.

The Huskies, coming in at 18-11, know how to win in November and that can be something that separates them from the rest of the teams.

The top five leader in kills, led by junior Nia Tinsley at 353, are made up by junior and seniors, while junior Gabi Gilbert, who has 775 assists, runs the offense.

It won’t be long before one of 16 teams will have to find a spot for a new banner. There are a ton of variables involved and there might be one a team hasn’t encountered all season long.

“Honestly, sometimes it's not about playing perfect volleyball,” Liddile said.  “It's about finding ways to win when you're not playing your best.”

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