Not having seniors isn't stopping Millennium

September 30, 2015 by Jose Garcia, AZPreps365


The last time a Southwest Valley team won a girls volleyball state championship tournament was 28 years ago.

Millennium will get at least two tries to snap the cold spell.

A senior doesn't dot the roster of the Goodyear program's Division II varsity roster. Still, the young lineup boasts its share of talent, beginning with head coach Julie Vastine’s daughter, Jessica, one of six juniors on a team with four freshmen also.

Millennium also starts a sophomore who excelled during Millennium’s sweep, 25-13, 25-17, 25-22, of visiting Cactus Wednesday. She might be 5-feet-6, but Terayah Stukes can still swing away with power or tip to open spots just behind the block with success.

(Tereyah Stukes)

Stukes paced her 13-3 overall team with five kills in the first game, when Millennium tallied five of its eight aces in the match. Millennium’s only had two service errors in the first two games, and Bailey Schlosser’s serves to the left side of Cactus’ court helped trip Cactus during the final points of the match.

Millennium outscored Cactus 9-2 to end the match. Cactus had its moments, especially in the middle during the second game and when it consistently found the open spots to open up a 12-5 lead in the final game.

But Cactus failed to keep up with its more taller and physical opponent. Vastine is in her third year as Millennium’s coach but 20th as a teacher at the school.

The former Fresno State player also coaches club and wanted to spend time with her family before getting into coaching high school volleyball.

“We are trying to diversify our offense this year,” Vastine said. “I’m normally not a (two setter rotation) type of person, but running (two setters) is our strength. We can balance our attack much better. We have two big hitters (Jessica, Bailey Smith), and most of the time people line up against them, but we also have two younger hitters (Stukes, Ashley Antoniak) who can step up to the plate.”

Millennium was No. 1 in the power rankings with a 7-0 record against D-II power ranking opponents.