Taylor Passard (23) gives a fist pump after smashing a kill. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
Taylor Passard hits the ball like she’s mad at it. Or like she’s got something to prove. Being a freshman, it’s easy to see it being the latter.
The same could be said about the Colony volleyball team, which hasn’t played for a Class 4A state title since 2009 and hasn’t won a championship since 1998.
The Knights are looking to create a new era and Passard is leading the charge as her 18 kills on Friday powered a 25-22, 25-22, 25-21 win over Chugiak in the ASAA state tournament semifinals at the Alaska Airlines Center.
As the lone unbeaten left in the field, Colony advanced to Saturday’s title match at 4 o’clock and will face either Dimond or Chugiak out of the Cook Inlet Conference, which has traditionally dominated this tournament.
The last time the Knights won a state title they had a future WNBA player on the team in Jessica Moore. Passard isn’t nearly as tall as the 6-foot-3 Moore, but she’s a highflyer.
Passard explodes off the ground and then blasts the ball harder than most high school players. Her spikes go straight down and were often untouched, although she generated plenty of kills off blockers and would-be diggers.
4A State Volleyball
ASAA/First National Bank
At Alaska Airlines Center
Friday
Colony 3, Chugiak 0
Dimond 3, South 1
Service 3, Juneau-Douglas 0
Dimond 3, Service 1
Saturday
11:00am Dimond vs. Chugiak
4:00pm Title Match
Dim/Chu winner vs. Colony
Passard pounded kills on set point in each of the first two sets and then gave Colony a 24-21 lead in the third, so her team looked to the frosh to finish at crunch time. And she delivered.
Friday was the fifth time these two teams have faced off this season, but it was the first time Colony won. Chugiak beat the Knights 1-0, 3-0 and 2-0 with a 1-1 tie tucked in there as well.
Not only had the Mustangs played well against Colony all year, but they had been playing at an elite level during the postseason, knocking off perennial title contenders Dimond at the CIC Championships and South on the first day of the state tournament.
After dropping the first set, the Mustangs stormed out the gate in the second set to build a 12-6 lead the duo of Elise Kelley and Riley Kauhola.
Chugiak’s Riley Kauhola tips the ball over the outstretched arms of Callan Knutsen. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
It didn’t last. Colony’s defense stood tall at the net, whether it was Ryann Evey, Emily DeHart and Callan Knutsen blocking hits or altering them, the group was effective. Hailey Biorn’s kill putting the Mat-Su Valley team up 20-19.
Tied 22-22, Colony ended it with three straight kills by Alli Morrissey, DeHart and Passard to take a commanding two-games-to-none lead.
In the third set, Passard had three early kills as Colony took a 10-4 lead. Back-to-back kills by Biorn made it 12-5 and she added another later to make it 18-13.
Chugiak made one last stand, rattling off a 5-1 run that started with London Gentile’s ace that clipped the net. Catheryn Townsend’s solo stuff got the Mustangs as close as 18-17, but Colony closed it out behind Passard and Co.
The Knights were in sync all night. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
The Mustangs are still alive and will face Dimond in Saturday’s semifinal, with the winner advancing to play Colony in the final, needing to win a best-of-5 to force an if-necessary super set to 30.
Earlier in the day, Dimond won the final two sets to knock South out of the tournament. The Wolverines entered the state tournament riding a 31-match unbeaten streak dating back two months, yet they lost two of three matches this week.
The Lynx won in the same fashion against Service, coming back to win the final two sets after the Cougars have tied the match at one set apiece.
The dream is still alive for the Dimond Lynx after beating South and Service on Friday. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
In the Class 3A state tournament, Kenai Central and Nikiski met in Friday’s semifinals in a rematch of last year’s championship match won by the Bulldogs.
This time it went the other way.
Kenai won 25-15, 25-19, 15-25, 22-25 at the Alaska Airlines Center to advance to the title game for a sixth straight season while Nikiski fell into the loser’s bracket and will need to defeat Valdez to get another shot at the Kardinals.
Kenai won championships in 2023 and 2022 behind former Gatorade Alaska Player of the Year Emma Beck, who is now a starter for the UAA Seawolves (20-5), the No. 3 ranked team in the West Region.
3A State Volleyball
ASAA/First National Bank
At Alaska Airlines Center
Friday
Kenai Central 3, Nikiski 1
Monroe Catholic 3, Nome-Beltz 0
Valdez 3, Barrow 2
Valdez 3, Monroe Catholic 1
Saturday
Loser’s Bracket
9:00am Nikiski vs. Valdez
1:00pm Title Match
Nik/Val winner vs. Kenai Central
Kenai Central punched its ticket to the 3A title match Friday. Photo by Stephanie Burgoon/Alaska Sports Report
