Nathan Ketelhut is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Sunrise Mountain High School for AZPreps365.com
 

PEORIA, Ariz. - As the bright lights shined in the final set, the Sunrise Mountain girls varsity volleyball bench was nearly empty as the team on the court and lining the sidelines prepared for a celebration in more ways than one. 

Sunrise Mountain swept Raymond S. Kellis in straight sets, 25-10, 25-9, 25-10 on Tuesday, Oct. 7 at 6 p.m. The 20th win of the season for the Mustangs was a reason for celebration, but the loudest cheers of the night came when senior outside hitter Brooklyn Jenkins reached a major milestone -- picking up her 1000th kill of her high school volleyball career. 

For Jenkins, the milestone was one she thought might not be possible for her. 

“My volleyball journey has been all over the place with transferring and having to sit out,” Jenkins said. “After all of that, I didn’t know if I would even get to that point.”

Entering the game against the Cougars, Jenkins ranked fourth in the 5A conference across the state for kills with 229. The success continued for Jenkins, stepping up behind the service line throughout the game and delivering points from all over the court. 

But before the third set began, the gymnasium quieted as nearly the entire Sunrise Mountain bench waited in a nearby doorway. With balloons and banners in hand, teammates and coaches erupted in cheers when Jenkins delivered her 1,000th kill on the seventh point of set three.

“Just to get to that point was amazing, and having my team there to celebrate was amazing,” Jenkins said.

The Mustangs set the tone early, scoring seven of the first 10 points and seven of the last eight to conclude a 25-10 set-one win.

For seven-year head coach Brandi Jans, leading early and finishing strong have been some of the major reasons for Sunrise Mountain’s success. 

“They step up and rise to the occasion,” Jans said. “They have confidence in each other and no matter what they’re going to do their job at the end of the day.”

Set two started off with a back-and-forth beginning to the set and Sunrise Mountain barely maintaining a 5-4 lead over the Cougars. The Mustangs went on three separate five-point runs and Jenkins behind the service line to finish off the set 25-9. 

“It’s good playing a team like Kellis,” Jans said. “They have hard workers. It’s just a good stepping stone for us to get better each game.”

As the game continued, so did the dominance behind the service line for Sunrise Mountain. Senior setter Lily Rolfes led the Mustangs, picking up multiple aces with her serves and keeping Sunrise Mountain runs alive in the final set.

“Serving is how you start every game,” Rolfes said. “That’s the only thing in the game you can control. It’s a crucial part of the sport and wins games.”

Throughout the night, Sunrise Mountain players shouted chants and celebrated after almost every point, and the Mustangs crowd rose to its feet. With a team of upperclassmen, the experience showed as five juniors and four seniors delivered kills, and the Mustangs led 24-10 late in the third set on match point.

“We’re such a family,” Rolfes said. “Sometimes teams with the best athletes don’t win. Teams that play together, all as one, those are the teams that find success in the end.”

Jenkins achieved the 1,000th kill milestone, her statline showed 11 kills, four serving aces and six digs against the Cougars. On match point in set three, Jenkins played a high outside set and delivered her 12th and final kill of the game surrounded by her coaches and teammates.

“The final kill just solidified my celebration,” Jenkins said. “That moment just showed that I deserved the celebration and I earned it.”