Comeback queens: Dimond roars back to take 4A volleyball title

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Brynn Sulte, of Dimond High, hits the ball against Emilye Grace Williams and Ashton Jessee, of South High, in the Class 4A state volleyball tournament final at the UAA Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage, Alaska, on Saturday, November 12, 2016. Dimond High came from the losers bracket to defeat South High to claim the Class 4A state volleyball championship. (Bob Hallinen / Alaska Dispatch News)

Down by two sets, Dimond's quest for back-to-back Class 4A state championships looked improbable Saturday afternoon.

The Lynx needed to win three straight sets to stay alive against the arch-rival South Wolverines, and then they needed to win the if-necessary set to clinch the crown.

But "improbable" wasn't in the Lynx's vocabulary.

"Our team always seems to succeed when we need it most," said Dimond outside hitter Alissa Pili. "I can't explain it. We just know when to turn the switch on."

Slowly, Dimond crawled back to take set three, then set four, then set five. Then, the Lynx rocketed to a 30-20 win in the if-necessary set at the Alaska Airlines Center.

The unlikely comeback was complete. Dimond had its second straight state title and its sixth since 2008.

"I think it's just the Dimond way, where you kind of lose one and then you take the hard way (back)," Dimond middle blocker Brynn Sulte said. "It happens every year and just we continue to do it."

Sulte was Dimond's stud at the net. The 6-foot-2 senior finished with 30 kills, with eight kills and two aces coming in the if-necessary set.

The Lynx often turned to Sulte when they needed a spark.

"I would probably tear up if I had to talk about Brynn," Dimond coach Kim Lauwers said after the match. "She's just a total role model in the classroom, on the volleyball court, just a big heart.

"We wanted to get her the ball as much as possible. I'm gonna have a hard time letting her go."

Dimond reached the championship match by sweeping Wasilla in Saturday's early elimination match. South defeated Dimond on Friday to earn the direct path to the title match.

Dimond and South have won every Class 4A volleyball title since 2005, and Saturday's contest was the 10th match of the season between the two Cook Inlet Conference rivals.

Both teams knew what to expect from the other, so it was just a matter of executing.

"When we play, I think we bring out the best in both of us," Lauwers said. "I think we're challenged mentally, we're challenged physically. It's a battle both ways."

The beginning of the match was déjà vu from Friday's South win. The Wolverines again jumped to a quick lead on an attack led by outside hitter Emilye Grace Williams (17 kills) and facilitated by setter Emma Kleven (55 assists).

Kate Duclos gave the Wolverines a boost off the bench with three aces in the first set, including one to seal the 25-23 win.

Outside hitter Madi Colbern, who received her first start of the tournament, nailed a kill on the left side to seal the South win in the second set, 25-21. She finished with 13 kills.

In both the third and fourth sets, Dimond did what it does best — come from behind.

The Lynx trailed by five midway through the third set before finishing on a 12-2 run to win it 25-20.

In the fourth set, a diving save by Maya Carle landed all the way in the South back row to give the Lynx a 12-11 lead they never relinquished.

Dimond put Sulte to work in the fifth set. She scored five of Dimond's 15 points, including the final two.

The Lynx didn't let up in the if-necessary set, and South ran out of steam.

"I didn't know if we could do it, but then once we all started pulling together, I was so happy," Sulte said.

"Once I saw that we hit the 20-mark, I knew we could do it."

Lauwers said leadership of Dimond's seniors like Sulte and Teuila Lolotai (53 assists, 21 digs) helped a young Lynx squad play like a veteran team this season.

Half of Dimond's 12-player roster consists of underclassmen, including Pili, a sophomore who delivered 21 kills and 20 digs. Other young players include setter Hahni Johnson (25 assists, 16 digs) and outside hitter Mia Ekstrand (17 kills).

"We just matured throughout the season," Lauwers said. "We just played like an older team than we are."

South fielded a veteran team that will have to rebuild next season. Among its 10 seniors are Colbern, Kleven, Sarina Mancari (40 digs) and Ashton Jessee (9 kills, 4 blocks).

"We are proud to have represented our conference and to have had the opportunity to battle for the title," first-year South coach Amy Mestas said. "Congratulations to the Lynx for their tenacity and earning the state title."

ASAA/First National Bank Class 4A state volleyball tournament

All-tournament team

Eva Stephen, Colony

Leeanna Atafua, Bartlett

Lindsey Cizek, Wasilla

Emilye Grace Williams, South

Brynn Sulte, Dimond

Mallory Bradford, Palmer

Sarina Mancari, South

Andraia Bella, Wasilla

Liu Paia Togaga'e, Bartlett

Haylee Duguid, Colony

Emma Klevin, South

Teuila Lolotai, Dimond

Saturday's results

Loser's bracket — Dimond def. Wasilla, 3-0 (25-22, 25-16, 25-8)

Championship — Dimond def. South, 3-2 (23-25, 21-25, 25-20, 25-19, 15-12)

If-necessary game — Dimond 30, South 20