Green Valley volleyball not about to quit on postseason

After missing out on the playoffs for the first time in her career last season, longtime Green Valley girls volleyball coach Erin Hill took a step back and attempted to find the source of her team's abnormal drop off.

Did she forget how to coach? Were practices too hard? Was it the scheduling?

Whatever it may have been, Hill was set on returning to Gators volleyball and maintaining the school's "commitment to excellence."

One thing was certain: She was not going to step away from the program she built 24 years ago when the school opened.

"Quitting is not an option. Ever," said Hill, 55. "You cannot quit on a ball. You cannot quit on your teammates. You cannot quit. You learn that here and you take that through your life."

That outlook has trickled down to her Gators, who have labored through an arduous schedule this season and will be making a return trip to the playoffs today.

The third-seeded Gators (15-16) travel to face Las Vegas (13-15), the Northeast League's No. 2 seed, at 6 p.m. to open up the Sunrise Region quarterfinals. The Sunset Region also starts at 6 p.m. across the valley.

"We've been working really hard every day," junior outside hitter Rachel Klopfer said. "We came back with so much hunger to succeed. Every single day, everyone is playing at 100 percent and we all have each other's backs. We trust each other. It's a good environment to be in, and that's why we've improved so much."

Green Valley went 10-22 last season and finished fifth in a six-team Southeast League after playing its season without a senior on the roster.

"We knew we were young. We had no seniors," Hill said. "There were eight kids that decided not to come back. Was it challenging? Yeah. But that's what makes this (year) sweet. That's what makes you appreciate things. It was so motivating."

After a tumultuous start to this season — one that included five straight losses — Green Valley appeared to be in for another down year.

But the players never quit on Hill and used their challenging early schedule as a springboard to the rest of the season.

The team finished 6-4 in the Southeast League and only fell to two-time defending state champion Coronado and Foothill twice.

Still, the playoffs weren't always a sure thing for the Gators, who were 6-12 after the Las Vegas Invitational and Durango Fall Classic.

"After the (Durango) tournament, we learned to trust each other a little bit more," senior middle blocker Julia Carlson said. "We're still working on it a lot, but that was one of the biggest things — working together as a team."

Green Valley, which has gone 14-4 outside of tournament play, closed its regular season winning nine of 13 matches.

Now with some momentum, the Gators will be looking to add to their storied program and compete for their first region title since 2012. But they'll have to do it with very little postseason experience.

Carlson and junior setter Carlee Becker are the only players on the roster with any region tournament experience.

"It's a big deal," Hill said. "They have to understand that level of intensity is going up a level."

And though Green Valley is playing an opponent it previously swept on Sept. 8, Hill doesn't want her girls getting lackadaisical. She stressed all week the difference with playoff atmospheres.

"We did talk about that. You cannot overlook anybody," Hill said. "The bottom line is you have to come in prepared. Guess what everybody's record is? 0-0."

And her players already seem to have bought in to the concept.

"No matter how they were (eight) weeks ago, everyone has grown," Becker said. "Everyone has gotten better for this tournament. We just have to work harder than everyone else and do what we know."

When that first serve is sent over the net today, Green Valley will be back to familiar November territory. Only this time, the match will be a little sweeter for everyone.

"We're just so grateful to have earned a spot back in the tournament," Hill said. "They worked really hard and that was their team goal. I know they're excited about it."

— Contact reporter Ashton Ferguson at aferguson@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0430. Follow him on Twitter: @af_ferguson