Yerington volleyball ready for state

The Yerington High volleyball team won the Northern 3A title, beating Lowry on its home floor in Winnemucca in a thrilling 5-game match to advance to the NIAA 3A State Championships.

And its reward is - another meeting with Lowry. "I think it's so wrong," said Anna Aiazzi, who co-coaches the Lions with her husband, Jim.

So Yerington will meet Lowry for the fifth time this year in the state semifinals at 5 p.m. Saturday at Galena. The winner of that match will play the winner between Spring Creek, the North's No. 3 seed, and Faith Lutheran at 2 p.m. Saturday at Galena for the state title.

Despite being the North's top two seeds - and arguably two of the state's top teams on any level - the Lions and Lowry are meeting in the semifinals. But Aiazzi said her team is still excited to be playing in the state tournament.

Yerington is 3-1 against Lowry this year and 33-2 overall, with its other loss coming to Whittell, another team that's arguably among the best in the state on any level.

The Lions are led by sophomore Kayla Lommori, who's already receiving attention on the college level.

"She's definitely an outstanding player who has the athleticism, the body frame, the mind set, all the tools that she would need to be successful in college," Aiazzi said.

At 5-11 - and with an incredibly long reach - Lommori has a powerful spike. "She has these incredibly long arms," Aiazzi said.

"It's knocked a lot of girls on their reans and given a lot of girls facials," Aiazzi also said about Lommori's spike.

Against Lowry, Lommori became so dehydrated, she had to come out late in the third game and didn't play the fourth game. But she returned in the fifth game to record four kills and two blocks in the 15-point game to help Yerington win the title. After the match, Lommori had to be taken to the hospital to replenish her fluids.

"She pretty much doesn't remember playing the fifth game," Aiazzi said. "That's how dehydrated she was. It's just the way she plays. She goes all out."

But Yerington isn't just Lommori. Among the Lions' other top players are setters Bre Tognoli, a junior, and Kiara Rosse, a sophomore. Lommori, Tognoli and Rosse all play for Carson City's Capital City Volleyball Club.

Tognolio and Rosse are really all-around players. When one is setting, the other is part of the attack.

"It's a perfect world," Aiazzi said. "Everybody should be so lucky to have two setters who can do it all."

Another team leader is senior outside hitter Dena Helme. "She's also been just a crucial player for us," Aiazzi said.

Another top player is middle blocker Tashina Conner, who played a key role in the win over Lowry. "She had probably the game of her life against Lowry," Aiazzi said.

Rounding out the lineup are outside hitters Stephanie Pellegrini and Angela Marraccini, defensive specialist Danelle Bristol, liberos Mari Cliften and Kyndra Crowell and middle blocker Rani Williams.

The Purple Wave should also be at Galena in full force. Aiazzi said there was a huge contingent of Yerington fans in Winnemucca.