Xavier and Horizon haven't  seen quite as much of each other the past few years in volleyball with realignment taking Horizon a division down from Xavier. The schools are making up for lost time this year.

Meeting for the third time this season and second time in four days on Saturday afternoon, Xavier swept Horizon in two tight games, 25-21, 25-22, to take the title of the 2011 Goldwater Volleyball Festival at Goldwater High School.

Xavier, which won the big-school state championship last year (its fourth in a row), has received all it wanted and more from Horizon, the 5A-II champs the past two years in the three meetings. Horizon got Xavier's attention early this season by sweeping the Gators, 3-0, at Horizon. Two days ago in a rematch, Xavier played better and topped the Huskies, 3-1.

"That match was much closer than 3-1 says," Xavier coach Tim McHale said. "We always have great matches with Horizon. When we were together in 5A in the same region we'd split guaranteed. It's no different now."

Xavier won both games on Saturday in different fashion. Pulling away from a nip-and-tuck first 22 points (11-11 tie), the Gators forged a 21-14 advantage and appeared headed for a comfortable first-game win. Four aces (three by Abby Hornacek) and a trio of kills from Mia Teilborg had Horizon on its heels. But the Huskies pulled within 21-20 with an ace and solid attacking. Xavier finally closed it out with back-to-back kills from Dani Westfall. The last was a touch  kill, the MO that would key its turnaround in game two to finish the match.

"When we weren't doing well it was because we played to their strengths," McHale said. "Trying to go at their block or off-speed to their best defenders."

That was the case in game 2 as Horizon led most of the way and by as much as 15-9 at the midpoint. Horizon got great blocking from middles Jensen Cunningham, Tess Clark and outside Sierra Nobley.

"When our block stays strong we are at our best," Horizon coach Valorie McKenzie said. "When we lost the other night to them we had 21 blocking errors. Tonight we were much better. We took them out of system, but we couldn't take care of their tips. We were just a little late on those."

Junior middle Megan O'Sullivan led by example with the tipping, which started to turn the second game Xavier's way.

"After I called the second timeout that game, Megan responded and got us two or three easy kills over the top," McHale said. "The others caught on and figured it out"

Xavier took the lead 20-19 on a net-serve ace from Bianca Arellano. Horizon tied the game three more times, but was put away by an ace from Amanda Benson and kills from Hornacek and O'Sullivan.

Teilborg led Xavier with eight kills and Hornacek and Westfall added seven apiece. Benson had 15 digs and Anna Panagiotakopoulos had seven. Horizon's stat night was paced by Nikki Hess with eight kills and an ace. Nobley and Jensen Cunningham combined for nine block assists, and libero Lexi Anderson had 10 digs.

Xavier finished the tournament 9-0 and Horizon was 8-1. Xavier beat Ironwood, Ironwood Ridge, Sandra Day O'Connor, Valley Christian, Rincon, Mountain Ridge, Gilbert and Sunnyslope. Horizon knocked off Desert Vista, Mesa Mountain View, Sunrise Mountain, Pinnacle, Corona del Sol, Centennial and Sunnyslope.