‘A team effort’
Navajo Times | Donovan Quintero Pinon Lady Eagles head coach Nellie McCurtain, second right, raises her arms victoriously with her team after defeating the Tonopah Valley Lady Phoenix for the Division V state volleyball title Saturday night at the Prescott Valley Event Center in Prescott Valley, Ariz. Pinon won the title, 3-2.
Pinon netters end first-round drought with first-ever state title
PRESCOTT VALLEY, Ariz.
Navajo Times | Donovan Quintero
Pinon Lady Eagle Raquel Archie (23) spikes the ball pass Tonopah Valley Lady Phoenix defenders Saturday night at the Prescott Valley Event Center in Prescott Valley, Ariz.
It was an agonizing wait for the Pinon High volleyball program.
In three previous state playoff appearances, the Lady Eagles had their season cut short with a first-round loss.
This year’s volleyball squad, however, authored a storybook ending by outlasting No. 3 seed Tonopah Valley 26-24, 18-25, 25-19, 19-25, 15-7 in Saturday night’s Arizona Division V state title game at the Prescott Valley Event Center.
Through out the season, Pinon head coach Nellie McCurtain talked about ending those first-round blues with a victory. They did more than that as seniors Janiesa Peralto and Raquel Archie capped their prep career in grand style as Pinon captured its first-ever state title in any sport.
“I am so proud of them,” McCurtain said. “These girls worked hard and they really committed themselves. They worked real hard after we lost last season.”
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