Beginning their season with some uncertainty and misgivings, the Lady Dragon volleyball team is closing out their season with a whole new level of renewed confidence and conviction.  After overcoming new players, roles and inevitable changes, the Malad team has found themselves at the end of another stellar, winning season.  Adding two final wins in the last week of their regular season, the Lady Dragons round out their home record with a perfect 13-0.  In fact, the MHS team didn’t even lose a single set on their own court.

The final week of their season featured conference matchups in Soda Springs against the Cardinals on Wednesday, October 16.  The following night, the Lady Dragons hosted the Declo Hornets while showcasing their senior players, as well as celebrating the State Championship teams of 1984 and 2014.

In Soda Springs, Malad jumped to an unsurprising quick lead, claiming 8 points before the Cardinals answered with their own.  Even after getting on the scoreboard, Soda Springs only added five more points while the MHS team scored 17 more to cap out the game and claim the victory.  

Finding some renewed energy and drive, the Cardinals made the second game much closer, putting pressure on the Lady Dragons.  It wasn’t until midway through the set that Malad hit a new level of play that eventually helped them pull away.  

Up 13-9, the Lady Dragons passed up the Cardinal serve, putting it over the net with a hit by middle hitter Liv Nelson.  Soda Springs managed to dig the hit and quickly tipped over the near overpass.  On the Malad side Brynnlee Jones dove to pop up the ball and keep the play alive, but unfortunately sent it into the net.  Izzy Haycock pulled the ball out of the net, but popped it up into Soda territory.  Hungry for the hit, the Cardinals set up for the kill, but were suddenly blocked by Haycock.  With a quick reflex, they bumped the ball up, the play still tight to the net.  Ready to end the rally, Nelson swung uncontested, shanking the hit off the Cardinals dig attempt to win the point.

Just a few plays later, the two teams found themselves in a similar rally, relying on both scrap and skill to stay in the game.  Soda Springs sent over a short pass, forcing defensive specialist Brylee Oglesbee to dive near the attack line to make the pass.  While saving the play, the dive put the strong side attack out of commision for the Lady Dragons.  But ready and waiting on the opposite attack was Paityn Ward, set to spike the ball as it was sent backwards, catching the Cardinal defense out of position.

Expanding the gap on the scoreboard, the Lady Dragons finished off game two, 25-14.

Soda Springs weren’t quick to give up as they entered the third game of the match.  Despite the Malad taking another commanding 8-0 lead to begin the set, the Cardinals began battling back to go on a 7-1 streak to pull within five points, 15-10.  

Just as suddenly as the momentum seemed to have moved in the favor of Soda Springs, the Lady Dragons flipped the script with a completely untouched attack by Jones that went around the block and short of the dig.  The hit began a scoring trend for Malad, tacking up 10 points to Soda Spring’s 3.  Half of those ten final points were contributed by the front line block.  To close out the game, Brinley Clark and Nelson strung together three impenetrable blocks to completely shut down the Cardinal attack and end the game, 25-13.

Collecting a final win the very next night was the icing on the cake for the Lady Dragons as they easily defeated the Declo Hornets.  Before the first serve of the game, Oglesbee, Riglee Peterson and Anistyn Tovey with their parents, coaches, teammates and fans highlighted their final game of the year.  Unfortunately for Tovey, she was unable to play the game due to a fractured wrist.

Regardless of the emotions of a lost player, senior night or the final game of the season, the Lady Dragons played in true Malad volleyball fashion.  A game full of intense plays, grit, scrap and resilience, the MHS team closed out the season with another 3-0 sweep, going 25-12, 25-9, and 25-14.

Between the individual matches, the 1984 and 2014 State Championship teams were called to the court to celebrate the 40th and 10th anniversaries of their respective wins. 

The 3A District tournament began Saturday, October 19 with Wendell and Declo playing the opening game.  Winning the matchup, Declo and Malad faced off once again.  If possible, the Lady Dragons were intense and aggressive on the court as they finished off the Hornets 25-8, 25-5, and 25-4.

Advancing to the round of the tournament, Malad will next play on Thursday, October 24 at home against the West Side Pirates.

Volleyball Results 

MHS @ Soda Springs

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

25-6 I 25-14 I 25-13

PLAYER Kills Digs Aces Blocks Serve/Receive Accuracy

Izzy Haycock 3 10 1 1 0 

Paityn Ward 4 15 1 0 1.5/3

Brynnlee Jones 8 15 0 0 2.0/3

Brinley Clark 10 5 0 2 0 

Olivia Nelson 8 2 0 4 0

Mady Vanbebber 5 2 0 1 0

Brylee Oglesbee 0 6 1 0 2.4/3

Riglee Peterson 0 23 1 0 2.1/3

Quincee Hammer 0 0 1 0 0

MHS vs Declo

Thursday, October 17, 2024

25-6 I 25-14 I 25-13

PLAYER Kills Digs Aces Blocks Serve/Receive Accuracy

Izzy Haycock 5 16 5 0 0 

Paityn Ward 3 11 1 2 1.3/3

Brynnlee Jones 9 12 0 0 2.3/3

Brinley Clark 14 5 0 1 0 

Olivia Nelson 7 1 0 2 0

Mady Vanbebber 3 3 0 1 0

Brylee Oglesbee 0 3 1 0 2.3/3

Riglee Peterson 0 21 1 0 2.6/3

Quincee Hammer 0 0 1 0 0