Region 10 volleyball recap: Desert Hills alone in first place, Cedar, Crimson Cliffs win at home

ST. GEORGE — In a thrilling five-set, back-and-forth battle, Desert Hills won 3-2 at Snow Canyon on Tuesday night and moved into sole possession of the top spot in Region 10 volleyball.

Desert Hills and Snow Canyon in a Region 10 volleyball match, St. George, Utah, Sept. 14, 2021 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News

The home team Warriors came out strong in the first set, taking leads of 11-7, 16-8 and 18-13. Savannah Cheever banged home a kill and Snow Canyon won the set, 25-19.

“We started off the first set a little bit dead, we weren’t playing our kind of volleyball,” Desert Hills senior Julia Jacobsen said. “Then we came out in the second set and started playing a little bit more of our game and swinging it better.”

Jacobsen was a force to be reckoned with at the net throughout the match, posting 11 blocks and 13 kills.

“Julia can dominate a game,” Desert Hills coach Craig Allred said. “She’s as athletic and as gifted a player as there is around the region.”

Mckayla Allred had a strong service run that posted Desert Hills to a 6-1 lead in the second set. Anna Jenson had a couple of big blocks and Maleia Thurber had a kill, then Jacobsen and Jenson both hit home kills, and the Thunder took the set 25-15.

Desert Hills kept the momentum and roared out to a 10-4 third set lead behind strong service from Tatum Gardner and kills from Jacobsen and Saidey Spencer. The Thunder won the third set 25-19.

But Snow Canyon wasn’t going away. In a set that was tied 12 different times, the Warriors battled back to even the match with a 27-25 victory.

Desert Hills and Snow Canyon in a Region 10 volleyball match, St. George, Utah, Sept. 14, 2021 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News

Aggeliki Georgopoulou led the Warriors with 11 kills while Sophie Jaster and Camryn Sutterfield had eight kills apiece in the match. Jenna Thorkleson posted 33 assists.

Desert Hills took command of the deciding fifth set with a service run from Gardner. Jacobsen bumped over a point and had a kill and a block in the run and the Thunder quickly led 8-2. 

Sa’de Turnlington served an ace to make it 9-2, and Jacobsen’s ace made the lead 12-3.

Brooklyn Wilson and Spencer knocked home the final kills and the Thunder won the fifth set 15-4.

“We really take pride in trying to run a fast offense, being able to pass quick, set quick and hit quick. When it comes together it’s pretty good,” Allred said. “You know coming in to Snow Canyon it’s going to be a battle; it’s going to be fun.”

The match marked the third year in a row that the crosstown rivals played a five-setter at Snow Canyon.

“We have some really tough teams in our region, just like we do every year,” Allred said. “You got to show up every night or any team could come around and beat you if you’re not on your game.”

In other action on the courts Tuesday night, Cedar swept Dixie at home 3-0 (25-16, 25-12, 25-18) and Crimson Cliffs won 3-1 at home (27-25, 21-25, 25-23, 26-24) over Pine View.

Region 10 volleyball standings (region record, overall)

  1. Desert Hills (4-0, 8-5)
  2. Crimson Cliffs (3-1, 5-7)
  3. Snow Canyon (3-2, 7-7)
  4. Cedar (2-2, 10-9)
  5. Pine View (2-3, 8-5)
  6. Hurricane (1-3, 7-7)
  7. Dixie (0-4, 0-17)

Photo Gallery

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!