Boys volleyball: Bonneville outlasts Roy in spirited match
Both teams showing growth as region play ramps up
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- Bonneville’s Semisi Christensen (21) rises for a swing against the Roy block in a boys volleyball match Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Roy.
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- Bonneville’s Cole Davis (17) hits the ball over the net against Roy’s Parker Christensen (11) and Cole Bellus in a boys volleyball match Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Roy.
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- Bonneville’s Talon Rocha, left, and Roy’s Finn Nakasone (23) reach for the ball in a boys volleyball match Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Roy.
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- Bonneville players huddle with Cole Davis, right, during a boys volleyball match against Roy on Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Roy.
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- Roy’s Ethan Casper (30) sets a ball in a boys volleyball match against Bonneville on Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Roy.
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- Bonneville’s Talon Rocha serves against Roy in a boys volleyball match Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Roy.
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- Roy’s Brayden Calvin serves the ball in a boys volleyball match against Bonneville on Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Roy.
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- Bonneville’s Tyler Cole (22) rises for a touch as Roy’s Cole Bellus (27) leaps for a block in a boys volleyball match Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Roy.
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- Roy’s Finn Nakasone sets the ball in a boys volleyball match against Bonneville on Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Roy.
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- Bonneville’s Tyler Cole hits a serve in a boys volleyball match against Roy on Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Roy.
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- Bonneville’s Jase Musgrave, right, reaches for a set as Roy’s Ethan Casper rises in a block during a boys volleyball match Thursday, March 20, 2025, in Roy.
ROY — After the crowd at the boys volleyball match between Bonneville and Roy stood for the playing of the national anthem, they applauded enthusiastically and returned to their seats.
But fans didn’t need a special invitation to return to their feet the rest of the night, cheering and clapping often throughout an exhilarating contest Thursday.
Bonneville gained its first Region 5 win, gutting out a 3-1 (25-22, 27-29, 25-19, 25-15), hard-fought victory over the hometown Royals.
“Anything can happen in rivalry games. Complements to them for how hard they pushed us,” Bonneville coach Kirt Williams said. “It’s a big relief, finally getting that monkey off our shoulders; we battled really hard. We’ve been in matches this year we could have gotten, but we got this one tonight and we’re happy about that.”
The Lakers trailed 20-18 but closed with a 7-2 run to take the first set.
“Volleyball is a mental game; very momentous. Once you get it, you have to run with it and I think that’s what we did and why we won,” Bonneville outside hitter Semisi Christensen said.
Roy (2-4, 1-3 Region 5) knotted things at 1-1 with an extended overtime win in set two and was poised to go on a run of its own before the Lakers regained traction.
“I told my kids, don’t mess around with these guys because they want it as bad as we do,” Williams said. “We gotta get after them.”
Led by senior setter Jase Musgrave, the Lakers righted their ship on a Christensen kill to take the third set and comfortably cruised to the win in the final frame.
“It was great competition … very back and forth. My team did very well and came back from a lot of downs,” Christensen said. “We were overplaying back and forth; we just needed to execute.”
Stats posted following the game showed Christensen with 21 kills and senior Talon Rocha with 10, while Musgrave totaled an amazing 45 assists. Williams praised his seniors for their numbers as well as their leadership on the court.
Christensen is a senior and a veteran, as far as boys volleyball goes, in its second year as a sanctioned high school sport in Utah.
“I’ve been coached very well since my ninth-grade year,” Christensen said. “I try to be as consistent as I can, as smart as I can. Switch it up, and do some tips and stuff like that.”
Williams is in his first year as Bonneville’s head coach and can see growth in his team since the start of the year.
“Players are more seasoned; they’ve had more time to play,” Williams said. “There was a lot of teaching during the offseason. We had a late start for open gyms and have learned a lot.”
Roy coach Brad Hulse is also a first-timer as head man for the Royals and enjoyed Thursday’s memorable match.
“I thought it was fun … both teams played well. Give them credit; they’ve got some guys. Christensen is really good for them, and Rocha and their setter (Musgrave), but I’m proud of the way our kids fought,” Hulse said. “There’s so many things that we’re getting better at every day. I see improvement every time they step on the court. It’s not about now, it’s about getting better for state.”
Roy did not have statistics available but seniors Ethan Casper, Finn Nakasone, Kael Miller and Cole Bellus appeared to have impressive games, especially in the second-set win.
Bonneville (6-8, 1-3) has a lot of volleyball under its belt this season, having played two early season tournaments to get ready for region.
“The (tournaments) got us some confidence and a chance to play together in competitive matches. That’s what we needed today,” Williams said.
