Amphi falls in 4A-II volleyball championship

No. 1 Amphi lost 3-1 (19-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-23) to No. 2 Chandler Seton Catholic in the Class 4A Division II state championship match in Phoenix.

Amphi has never won a girls volleyball championship and the last Tucson school to win a volleyball state championship was Rincon/University in 1993 when coach Juanita Kingston's team beat Scottsdale Chaparral.

Including invitationals and tournament play, Amphi finished 39-3 on the season under coach Rachel Williams.

Game 1 – Amphi 25, Seton Catholic 19

In the first game, Amphi jumped out to a dominating 17-5 lead before a Seton Catholic timeout was called. After the timeout, Seton Catholic scored 8 of the next 11 points, but the deficit was too much as Amphi cruised to the win.

Amphi had eight kills, eight assists in the first game. Seton Catholic had six kills, six assists.

Down the stretch, Amphi got a couple huge kills from Iyonna Zortman, a second-team All-Gila region outside hitter.

Game 2 – Seton Catholic 25, Amphi 18

Game two was a tight one with neither team leading by more than two points all the way until a 17-17 tie when Seton Catholic turned it on.

Seton Catholic put together a 4-0 run to take a 21-17 lead and after one last Amphi point, Seton Catholic rattled off another 4-0 run for the win.

Amphi had 10 kills, 10 assists in Game 2. Seton Catholic had 15 and 15.

Game 3 – Seton Catholic 25, Amphi 18

As good as Amphi looked in Game 1, the Panthers looked equally as bad in Game 3. With Seton Catholic up 11-10 in what was a tight game early on, Amphi miscues and miscommunications allowed Seton Catholic to go on runs of 5-0 (taking a 16-10 lead) and later closed the match out on a 6-2 run for the win.

Game 4 – Seton Catholic 25, Amphi 23

A furious Amphi rally came up short.

Seton Catholic, led by superstar frehman Haley Lawless, a 6-foot-3 outside hitter, controlled much of the game early on with large leads of 12-6, 15-11, 19-13 and 22-17 before the Panthers made their last push.

A 5-1 Amphi run tied the game 23-23, but Seton Catholic scored the final two points to win the game, the match, and the 4A-II state championship.