By DAVID MORSE
For the Star

Chugiak High School's Kasey Kavanaugh, left, and Robyn Burton jump to block South's Christa Boisen during the second night of the 4A state championship volleyball tournament Friday at West High School. photos by Joshua Borough

The road to the state title game for the Chugiak Mustangs varsity volleyball team was not an easy. Neither was the championship game once arrived.

The Mustangs, the second-seeded team coming out of the Cook Inlet Conference, was given the toughest first-round draw, facing off with previously unbeaten Colony, who came into the tourney at 18-0.

Chugiak defeated the Knights in four games, 22-25, 25-19, 25-16, 25-20.

“Once we figured out how to block their attack it was over. The girls were just playing at a very high level that evening,” said first-year head coach Kelly Kavanaugh.

Jessica Eicher dives for the ball during the first night of the championship tournament Thursday.

Although not as tall as the others, sophomore Krysten Labrecque also played a big role with some timely offense.

Chugiak volleyball players celebrate their win against formerly undefeated Colony High School Thursday.

“We definitely felt like we owned the net against Colony,” Kavanaugh said.

Burton finished with ten kills and six blocks, and Bowlus recorded six kills and five blocks.

In the semifinals the Mustangs had to rely on some late-game heroics to defeat longtime rival South in four games, 28-26, 24-26, 25-22, 25-20.

Chugiak again won the game at the net with Burton continuing her post-season tear with 11 kills, eight blocks. Kasey Kavanaugh had nine kills, five blocks and Bowlus added ten kills, five blocks.

Chugiak fans root on the varsity volleyball squad Friday as they make a bid for the state title.

The victory did not come without a price. Junior Christine Henie crumpled to the court after landing on a straight leg, hyper-extending her knee, on one of the final points of the first game.

“Christine is our most consistent player — both offensively and defensively. She's the one that plays all the way around (the rotation). She never gets called out of the game, unless we're just trying to give time to someone else,” coach Kavanaugh said.

She's the strength in the outside hitter position, the Mustang coach said.

“She's our heavy hitter — losing her was taking that away from our game.”

Coach Kavanaugh said that others had to step up to propel the team into the finals.

“In their minds, they were playing for her.”

Facing Dimond in the championship match was nothing new for the Mustangs, having met up in the Cook Inlet Conference finale the previous Saturday, with Dimond winning in four.

The Mustangs came out on fire, taking the first game, 25-13.

Dimond rallied to win the second game, 25-17, and then took the pivotal third game, a close one, 26-24, to put the Mustangs in a must-win scenario.

“It was a great match — tight all the way, point for point,” coach Kavanagh said.

In the fourth match, the Mustangs starved off an early Dimond lead, capping off the drive with a 10-4 run that earned a 25-23 win for Chugiak.

This forced a fifth and final game.

Usually a 15-point game, the Lynx rallied from five-points down to knot the score at 15-15 and force extended play.

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Caela Kaszuba helps Christine Henie stand-up to celebrate with her teammates after beating South Friday. Henie had to come off the court earlier in the night due to an injury.

“They (Dimond) were definitely up to play us,” coach Kavanaugh said. “It was one of the most exciting finals matches ever.”

While the tears could not be restrained, the team received their second-place trophy with grace, with a large number of Chugiak fans waiting in the stands to support the team's accomplishments for the season — namely, a tie for first place in Cook Inlet Conference standing, and second-place finishes at both conference and state class 4A play.

Varsity team members included: Celestia Bowlus, Robyn Burton, Jessica deMontfort, Jessica Eicher, Laila Hansen, Christine Henie, Caela Kaszuba, Kasey Kavanaugh, Krysten Labrecque, Katie Losey, Jessica Vargo and Emily Watzke.

This article published in The Alaska Star on Thursday, November 20, 2008.