Lehi Sports
Falcon girls volleyball opens with two big wins
Beky Beaton | Lehi Free Press
Ranked No. 3 in the preseason coaches poll, the Skyridge girls volleyball team got the fall campaign started with a pair of sweeps under first-year Coach Taylor Hifo.
The Falcons finished third in Region 3 last year with a 6-4 record and posted a 20-12 overall mark. Skyridge returned the team’s top two scorers from a year ago in senior outside hitter Kylie Buttars and senior Hadyn Smith, who split time between the right side and middle blocker spots last season.
Buttars finished the year with 413 kills (43%), 89 aces (214 points), 175 digs, 395 serve-receptions and 23 blocks, while Smith provided 179 kills (41%), led the region with 82 combined blocks (20 solo), and also had 29 digs.
Those two provide a solid foundation for the team to build on. Other returning contributors include senior setter Lily Grant, junior libero Estelle Slaney and sophomore outside hitter Sienna Kuresa. Senior middle blocker Lily Lundberg bolsters the team in that position.
Aug. 12: Skyridge 3, Bingham 0
Opening at home, the Falcons came out smoking and won the first set 25-9. The Miners played a little better in the other two games, but Skyridge still finished out the match in straight sets 25-14, 25-20.
Smith led the attack with nine kills and also had three block-assists. Kuresa added eight kills, seven digs and nine serve-receives. Lundberg tallied five kills, served four aces and had four combined blocks.
Buttars added four kills, a pair of aces and seven serve-receives. Grant added three aces and 25 assists, while Slaney made 10 digs and 12 serve-receives.
Aug. 27: Skyridge 3, Ridgeline 0
The Falcons topped the RiverHawks on the road in three games 25-11, 25-15, 25-16. Smith posted 10 kills with four block-assists. Buttars and Kuresa added eight kills and six serve-receives apiece.
Slaney laid down four aces to go with nine digs and six assists. Lundberg had four block-assists and sophomore middle blocker Lucy Meck had three combined blocks. Junior outside hitter Emma White contributed five digs and 15 serve-receives. Grant dished out 18 assists.
The Falcons are on the road for two contests this week. They play at Orem Tuesday (Aug. 19) and then visit Salem Hills on Thursday (Aug. 21). Both matches are set to get underway about 6:30 p.m.
