Rich claimed its 19th state title with a 3-2 victory over St. Joseph on Saturday at Utah Valley University. The win marked the first state title for Rich since 2022.
St. Joseph, the No. 2 seed and co-Region 22 champion alongside No. 4 Rebels, entered the match with 26 wins this season. Despite the Jayhawks' efforts, Rich was able to override an 18-14 St. Joseph lead in the third set and carry that momentum through sets 4 and 5 to secure the win. St. Joseph's senior players Mya Rogers, Sophie Yates, and Sophia Fischer contributed significantly to the effort. Rogers recorded 18 kills, 22 digs, and 3 aces, while Yates had 26 digs, 5 assists, and 1 ace. Fischer finished with 29 kills, 7 digs, 6 blocks, and 3 aces.
Head coach Cindy White noted that Rich's ability to handle championship pressure was a deciding factor in the match. White observed that the Jayhawks' inexperience in high-pressure championship situations allowed Rich to take the lead back. The St. Joseph squad had previously split its regular-season series with Rich, having won a 3-2 match earlier this month following a 3-0 sweep by the Jayhawks in September.
This was St. Joseph's first girls volleyball state title bid since 2013. Coach White had attempted to prepare the team by showing them footage of the 2013 team that won a state title at the same UCCU Center at UVU. The 26-win season for the Jayhawks was their highest milestone since the program's 31-win campaign under Ray Franklin.
The 6A, 5A, 4A, and 3A state championships are scheduled to continue this week at UVU.
