The Yavapai College volleyball team is certainly happy to be in the playoffs for just the second time since 1996
Still, the Roughriders aren't just happy to be here.
While it's a clear underdog at No. 9 Eastern Arizona College, it is making the trip to Thatcher for Friday's NJCAA Region I title match with plans on returning home with the hardware.
"Making the playoffs is a really big step," sophomore Jenn Hess said. "On any team I've played for, I've never made it this far.
"And for Yavapai to make it this far, I think it's a huge step for us."
Hess can speak to this better than the average junior college player as she's in her third year at YC.
She sat out 2008 with a torn labrum but decided to return, in large part hoping to get to this point.
"It makes me feel that it was all worthwhile," she said. "All that rehab that I did, the training and everything just kind of came together for one last big showing."
The Roughriders have had a breakthrough year, going 26-14.
But can they beat the Gila Monsters, who have lost just once all season?
"I really do feel that we can," sophomore libero Tialei Agader said. "I feel like we haven't played to our best potential yet. But we can come together and I have a good feeling for this match."
EAC took all three meetings between the two teams this year.
The only time Yavapai College avoided a sweep was the matchup in Prescott.
Hess did not play in the first match between the teams and sophomore outside hitter
Jordan Anderson injured her knee in the 3-1 loss to EAC at the Storm Center.
"We've had trials we've had to adjust," YC coach Matt Cohen said. "They're 18-1. They haven't experienced that to date. So if we can stress them to the point where they are adjusting, now they're in an uncomfortable level of playing."
Cohen said his team will have to be at its best, especially if Eastern Arizona is locked in.
"I just think they're going to throw different things at us at different times and it's just a simple matter of how we react," he said.
Yavapai College won the matches it needed to down the stretch, but was not on top of its game.
Even so, the 'Riders have same the weapons and skill set as its opponent
Eastern Arizona has Dreanne Shaw and Ami Baldwin, the first- and sixth-ranked players in the conference in kills per game.
Yavapai College has Haley Shackelford and Anderson, ranked third and fifth.
Eastern Arizona has Kalia Yasak, who is tops in assists per game in the ACCAC.
YC has Rachel Lindley, who is second.
EAC has Marci King, who is ranked third in blocks.
The Roughriders have Agader, who's tops in digs.
That said, the Monsters have those three head-to-head victories over YC.
"There is a negative there," Shackelford said. "But if we have heart and a lot of confidence, I think we can get the job done."
While a win on Friday would obviously be huge, and a loss would end the season on a down note, the Roughriders weren't shy about saying the season has already been a success.
"Win or lose Friday night, it's either going to get better or we've just had one of the best seasons at Yavapai in a long time," Hess said.
Hess was Cohen's top recruit in his first season as coach. The team has made progress each of his three years, getting to this crucial point in what he calls the team's development towards being a nationally prominent program.
"There is a lot of pride the girls and I have in getting to this point," Cohen said. "Now it's just a matter of are we going to do it this year or is this going to be the learning experience and next year we'll be ready for it.
"I'm hoping this will be the year but we had to get there to find out and we're there."
It's not all or nothing. But now is as good a time as any.
