No. 3 Salpointe beat No. 7 Marcos de Niza 3-1 Saturday night to advance to the 4A State Championship match scheduled for Monday night against No. 1 Greenway at McClintock High School in Tempe. The Lancers took the first set 25-17 but dropped the second 20-25 before regrouping to take the third 25-20 and the deciding set 25-17.

The Lancers will be going for their third straight state 4A championship under head coach Heather Moore-Martin, something that’s only been accomplished twice from a program from Southern Arizona. Pauline Jordan guided Sahuaro to three straight 5A titles from 1974 to 1976 and Bobby Nelson coached Wilcox to three straight 2A championships from 1988 to 1990.

Statewide, Amber LeTarte led Sunnyslope to four straight 5A championships from 2008 to 2011, James Felton coached Seton Catholic to four straight from 2008 to 2011 and Tim McHale led Xavier to four straight 5A-I championships from 2007 to 2010. Deanna Anglin has the record with eight straight 2A titles with Valley Christian from 1993 to 2000.

Moore-Martin led Salpointe past Greenway, 3-1, to win the 2016 state championship when the Lancers came in ranked No. 6 and the Demons were ranked No. 3. Head coach Sarah Peterson guided the Demons to the Division III championship the year before in 2015.

Greenway defeated No. 4 Flagstaff 3-0 (26-24, 29-27, 27-25) in the other semifinal played Saturday night.

 

For more on Salpointe and Greenway please visit the digital Volleyball Playoff Program.