Murray volleyball, girls tennis seasons end

With 29 losses over the previous two years coming into this season, not much was expected from Murray High’s volleyball team. Try telling that to the Spartans.

The experience gained from those turbulent years has paid off greatly, as Murray finished the regular season 19-8 and in third place in the Region 7 standings at 6-4. The Spartans clinched the region’s No. 3 playoff berth by sweeping Hillcrest 3-0 on Oct. 25. Skyline and Olympus finished 1-2 in the region standings and will join Murray and fourth-place Westlake in the playoffs.

The 4A state championships were Nov. 4-5 at Utah Valley University. Murray faced Sky View from Region 5 in the first round. Results were not available as of our press deadline.

Murray lost to Skyline 3-1 and Westlake 3-2 last month, but rebounded to sweep Olympus, Herriman and Hillcrest heading into the playoffs. Courtney Winsness, Jillian Campbell and Aubrey Milne were recognize for their blocking ability in the match against Olympus.

The Westlake contest on Oct. 13 was a “Dig Pink” match benefiting Breast Cancer Awareness. All funds from the match went to Intermountain Medical Center’s Deseret Fund, a community screening mammography project. Players on both teams wore pink jerseys during the match.

Nicole Durfey served five aces and had 13 kills in the win over Herriman. Campbell added two aces and nine kills, and Paige Lundeen had two aces and 31 assists. Campbell led the effort against Hillcrest with nine kills, while Alyse Horton had seven kills and Lundeen had five aces.

The Spartans finished 9-17 overall last season and 5-12 in 2009.

Girls tennis

Murray tied with four other teams for eighth place in the 4A state championships Oct. 7-8 at Liberty Park. The Spartans earned two team points, as did Bonneville, Maple Mountain, Olympus and Sky View. Skyline ran away with the team championship with 24 points.

Murray’s wins came at the Nos. 2 and 3 singles positions. No. 2 singles Ashten Watts defeated Bonneville’s Alexis McCall 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 in the first round before losing to her Bountiful opponent 6-0, 6-2. No. 3 singles Tessa Yates downed Box Elder’s McCall Madsen 6-1, 6-3 before being eliminated by her Bountiful opponent 6-0, 6-2 in the quarterfinals.

Elsewhere, No. 1 singles Maddie Howard lost her first match to Box Elder 6-3, 6-4 and No. 2 doubles Kylee Call and Mikayla Cowley lost to Sky View 6-2, 6-3 in the first round. Of those at state, Howard, Yates and Call are expected to return next season.