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OREM — After capturing the first state title in the program's short history a year ago, there was only one way Ridgeline senior setter Nia Damuni wanted to go out: with a repeat 4A state title.
She did that Saturday and left the Riverhawks' cupboard plenty stocked for another run with her own replacement.
Damuni dished out 15 assists with four kills and three aces, and junior Ashley Anderson added 12 assists, eight kills and a pair of aces as Ridgeline overwhelmed Desert Hills in straight sets 25-21, 25-8, 25-16 for the sixth-year program's second state title at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University.
Maggie Larsen led a balanced attack with 10 kills, Julia Howe added nine kills, and Elli Holland had three kills and two blocks for the Riverhawks, who served up 11 aces.
"We've been working since all last season, right when we got our championship. The next day, we got to work," said Damuni, who has committed to Gonzaga. "We've been working on our mental game, on our chemistry, and it feels great to go back-to-back.
"We had our dreams up on the board, and in order to get them, we just had to work together and work hard. It's hard to repeat a state title, but our mental game and our physical game helped us out."
Playing off each other, Damuni and Anderson provided the 1-2 bunch that opened their teammates — either from the middle or outside, even against a Thunder side whose size occasionally showed problems.
"It's so fun. We connect very well, and we've played together for a while," Anderson said of playing with the older Damuni. "But I don't think there was any pressure (to repeat). Our coaches just kept us focused on one match at a time."
Anderson, a junior who multitasks at setter and outside hitter, had five kills and five assists as Ridgeline jumped out to a 6-0 lead and held on for the 25-21 edge to take the first set. The Riverhawks gave it all back on four-straight to the Thunder, who tied the set at 19-all.
But Desert Hills never led in the opener, and scored just 2 points the rest of the way to help the defending champs to the early advantage.
"Our bench goes deep," Damuni said. "Next year will be really good, too. Alyssa's so good. She can attack, too, and she loves to win. All of us love to win."
The Riverhawks served eighth aces in the second set, taking a commanding 19-7 lead with an 8-0 run en route to a 25-8 victory.
Desert Hills took its first lead of the match with a 6-3 run to open the third set, including an ace by Brooklyn Robinson. But back-to-back blocks by Mira Smullin pulled the Riverhawks back, leading by as much as four, 12-8.
Saidey Spencer capped a 6-0 rally to pull the Thunder even 15-15 before the Riverhawks put away their repeat title with a 10-1 run that set off a court storm of emotion as soon as the final hit sailed out of the back of the court.
RIDGELINE goes BACK-TO-BACK as @UHSAAinfo 4A volleyball champions 🏆 🏆 pic.twitter.com/3l4JZbnQh1
— KSL.com Sports (@KSLcomSports) October 30, 2022
Anna Jenson had four kills and two blocks to lead Desert Hills (22-8), and Hallee Heath added four kills and a block for the Thunder, which took a five-west victory over top-seeded Sky View in a semifinal earlier Saturday to advance to the championship match.
The Bobcats bounced back with a 3-1 win over Green Canyon to take third. The Wolves were sweated by Ridgeline in Saturday's other semifinal in Orem.
