For the second season in a row, the St. Mary’s Knights will be heading to the volleyball state championships. Their spot was secured after a blowout win against the Moon Valley Rockets.

“This is what we have been working for the whole season,” sophomore middle blocker and opposite hitter Ella Fahrendorf said. “It’s all really exciting.”

The Knights defeated the Rockets in three sets by scores of 25-9, 25-11 and 25-10.

St. Mary’s started the match with a kill by sophomore defensive specialist, outside and opposite hitter Kinsi Norris, which set the tone for the rest of the game.

The Knights played postseason-level volleyball and showed the Rockets why they belong in the state playoffs.

“We kept our energy up,” junior middle blocker and outside hitter Leilani Clark said. “When our hitters get a really good hit, we get hype. We try to maintain that throughout the game.”

The passing was where it needed to be, as the St. Mary’s setters were able to keep all three front-row hitters involved in the game.

When the hitters were set up, they had no problem finding the open court.

“We have to execute every ball we go to hit,” said Fahrendorf.

St. Mary’s has faced tough opponents this season, but this game allowed players who get less playing time to step up.

The encouragement and cheering from the bench kept the energy up for players on the court.

“We rallied around the girls that don’t usually get a lot of playing time,” head coach September Lopez said. “We want them to play well, so we push them to do their job on the court.”

The points that Moon Valley put up on the board were mostly unearned and due to mistakes by St. Mary’s.

The beginning of the last set was closer than what the Knights were hoping for. At one point in the set, the Knights and Rockets were tied 7-7.

“I think we have to be better about staying focused,” said Fahrendorf. “We kind of lost our focus there in the last set.”

After a quick meeting in the middle, the Knights regrouped and went on to dominate the final set as they did in sets one and two.

“We played really well as a team and we want to carry that with us through the next few games and into the playoffs,” said Clark.

This game didn’t challenge the Knights, but it allowed them to grow closer to prepare for the playoffs.

“I think that games like this are really beneficial for the team because the pressure of making mistakes aren’t the factor,” said Lopez. “The factor is coming together as a team and bonding. This is especially important during this time in the season where region play and getting into the playoffs means so much. Being able to just grow as a team a little bit more before the playoffs, no matter who you are playing, is a plus.”