Lehi High School junior Aftyn Hurst led the Pioneers in digs and serve-receives this season, earning the school's Athlete of the Month award for girls volleyball.
Hurst, a defensive specialist and setter, recorded 222 digs and 317 serve-receives during the regular season, both team highs, according to the Lehi Free Press. She also posted a 1.7 passing rating.
Hurst's contributions went well beyond the back row. She added 28 aces, 10 kills, five block-assists and 28 gives across the season, per the Free Press award profile. The Pioneers dealt with a wave of injuries that forced lineup changes throughout the year, and Hurst adapted to the shifting roster around her.
"Wrapping up our regular season sitting at 10-10 is an accomplishment," head coach Alise Bowles told the Lehi Free Press in an Oct. 23 article. "We battled season-ending injuries, concussions, sprained ankles and bringing in a new player that has never played before into our varsity lineup."
Bowles cited Hurst's back-row production among several standout performers, noting the junior's 222 digs, 28 aces and 1.7 passing rate anchored the team's defense.
Hurst's match-by-match production showed her range. In one match, she tallied 29 digs and 27 serve-receives. In another, she posted two aces with a team-high nine digs and 22 serve-receives.
The Pioneers entered the Class 6A state tournament as the No. 10 seed and faced No. 7 Weber on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at the UCCU Center in Orem. Weber advanced with a 3-2 victory over Lehi, according to the Lehi Free Press. Lehi was scheduled to play No. 15 Riverton in a consolation match later that day.
No. 2 Skyridge swept through its first two rounds on Oct. 27 to reach the 6A semifinals. The semifinals and championship match are scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 28, at the UCCU Center, with the title match set for 4 p.m.
