MOUNTAIN VIEW — The MVHS Lady Buffs volleyball team did it again, taking the 2023 state championship back-to-back with last year.

And, true to the mettle of the team, they have captured the state championship three out of the last four year.

Due to winning the championship, the MVHS Lady Buffs received an escort Sunday afternoon as they returned to the Mountain View High School.

The championship game at state was almost like a replay of the 3A W regional championship. But at that time, the Lady Panthers managed to go around the Lady Buffs and take the regional championship, going to state as #1 seed and handing the #2 seed to Mountain View.

But, the cards were dealt differently at the state championship last week in Casper. The Lady Buffs dug in and captured the match in four sets: 25-20, 17-25, 25-15, 25-20.

The Lady Buffs had been tough all year and notched a 32-7-1, 6-0 record, taking all of the wins in their conference matches. No other 3A team could boast 32 wins on the season.

In the championship game last week against Powell at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper, the Lady Buffs dominated the court in the first set. Powell drew close, but couldn’t muster the oomph-a to turn the set around to win. Powell was more of a challenge in the second set, even taking the lead and holding it throughout the set, taking the win by eight points. Much of this was due to the work of Addy Thorington and Waycee Harvey.

In the third set, the Lady Buffs capitalized on kills by Kate Walker, Alie Sibert McKinlee Covolo and Lexi Rinker. Others added some aces and blocks to stretch the Mountain View lead to seven points. The Lady Buffs took the set by 10 points.

In set four, the Lady Buffs were on the board first. This was followed by a rally in which both teams fought to take control. Powell tied the score at one and again at four. Then they took the lead by three points. An ace by Walker brought Mountain View within one point and then a kill by Charleigh Windley followed by a couple of kills by Walker put the Lady Buffs in the lead. The score was tied at 13, 15, 16 and 18. Then Mountain View took control earning a three-point lead. When the match ended, Mountain View had the set by five points. In this game Walker had 32 kills and two aces, Covolo 10 kills, Rinker seven kills and Mylie Micheli two aces.

The Lady Buffs had earned their spot in the championship game by going head-to head against the Lady Bulldogs of Wheatland in their opening match on Thursday of last week. Mountain View took the match in three: 25-9, 25-8, 25-15. This win sent them to their second match of the state tournament in which they faced the Buffalo Lady Bison on Friday. Mountain View also took this match in three: 26-13, 25-10, 25-22. And then it was on to the championship game on Saturday, where they took the win and brought home the first place trophy.