APPLETON — It took a fifth trip to the WIAA state tournament, but the Xavier Hawks girls’ volleyball team are now state champions.
Xavier (39-7) came through with a 3-1 victory over Sauk Prairie (47-4) Saturday in the WIAA Division 2 girls volleyball title game at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon.
Xavier won the first two sets, 25-21 and 25-23, but Sauk Prairie came back to win the third 15-25. The Hawks then closed the deal in the fourth, 25-16.
Xavier advanced to the title game with an opening round three-set sweep over Bloomer on Friday.
Xavier came into the tournament as the top seed, making its fifth state appearance and its first since 2009 when the Hawks finished runner-up.
They were also runners-up in 2006.
They swept Tomahawk 25-15, 25-15, 25-13 in the Waupaca Sectional final to earn their return to the tourney field.
They are the champions in the Bay Conference this season.
.
.
