Murray volleyball program enjoys turnaround year

What a difference a year makes. Murray High’s volleyball team, which had floundered to a 9-17 season last year, was 16-6 this year with four matches remaining as of our press deadline in the regular season. More impressively, 11 of the Spartans’ 16 victories have come by two- or three-game sweeps.

Following a season-opening sweep of Cyprus, Murray went 6-2 in the Round Table Rumble hosted by Northridge High. The Spartans defeated Viewmont 2-1, Westlake 2-0, Woods Cross 2-1, Bountiful 2-0, Hunter 2-0 and West Jordan 2-0, and lost to Northridge 2-0 and Woods Cross 2-1.

Murray (3-2 region) also went 4-2 at the Labor Day Classic hosted by Bingham High, defeating Weber 2-0, Jordan 2-1, Dixie 2-1 and Uintah 2-1, and losing to Judge Memorial 2-1 and Davis 2-1.

The Spartans resumed non-tournament play with a sweep of Cottonwood before losing region matches to Skyline 3-1 and Olympus 3-2. Since then, however, Murray has won four consecutive matches all by sweeps, defeating Westlake, Hunter, Herriman and Hillcrest. The Spartans had matches remaining against Skyline (Oct. 6), Olympus (Oct. 11), Herriman (Oct. 18) and Hillcrest (Oct. 25).

Skyline (5-0) and Olympus (4-1) were atop the Region 7 standings as of our press deadline.

Aubrey Milne and Jillian Campbell each had seven kills in the victory over Cottonwood, while Campbell had 12 kills and four aces and Alyse Horton 11 kills against Olympus. Campbell, Horton and Nicole Durfey each had nine kills against Westlake, while Campbell added three aces.

Durfey came through with 13 kills against Hunter while Milne had six kills and two aces and Paige Lundeen had 35 assists. Horton and Durfey combined for 17 kills and Angela Dodge served 18 consecutive points in the second game in the match against Herriman.

Horton had eight kills, 10 digs and seven aces and Campbell had five kills and four aces against Hillcrest for Murray, which failed to make the postseason last year.