The First Baptist volleyball team knows it won’t be the favorite in Tuesday’s Class 2A state semifinals against Westminster Christian.
And that’s just how the Lions like it.
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“We’re undersized, so a lot of times we’re the little underdog going in,” First Baptist coach Marci Walker said. “But they have stepped up to every challenge that’s been put in front of them.”
The next obstacle for the Lions (23-4) is a formidable one indeed. The Warriors (20-5) are making their sixth consecutive state semifinal appearance and have finished as runner-up for five straight years.
Westminster, which has two state championships (2013, 2016) in 12 all-time appearances at state, returned all but three players from last year’s runner-up squad. The experienced group is powered by senior Zoey Matias (271 kills, 293 digs) and 6-foot-3 junior Gigi Artiles (329 kills, 738 assists). Junior Alex Washington, an Oregon commit for beach volleyball, and fellow juniors Lia Gonzalez and Chloe Garcia round out a deep and talented collection of standouts.