Notre Dame didn’t need to throw the kitchen sink at Millennium. Executing its power game and a left leg was enough.

The Johnson Towers of Notre Dame, sisters Willow and Lexi, took turns hitting over blocks and snapping their wrists for points against a senior-less but talented Millennium team. Besides her left arm, Willow might want to also bronze her left leg after delivering the highlight dig of Tuesday’s Division II state girls volleyball championship match.

That dig was just one of many moments Notre Dame’s players will remember forever about this season, which ended celebrating a 26-24, 25-20, 25-21 victory at Mesquite High.

Caught out of position, Willow, a former soccer player, stuck her left leg out as a kill attempt in the third set rapidly approached. The ball popped up, and then the mouths of fans popped open.

Willow kept the point alive, allowing Notre Dame to win it after a Millennium kill hit the left antennae. The hitting error gave Notre Dame an 18-17 lead.

“I didn’t expect to get it up,” Willow said. “I just flung it up hoping to get it.”

Johnson got the next point with one of her 20 kills.

But the momentum didn’t stay on Notre Dame’s side after Willow’s rare dig and kill. That’s because, as it did throughout the match, Millennium didn’t give in.

Millennium scored the next three points with an Ashley Antoniak kill, a block in the middle and a Jessica Vastyne kill. But that would be the last stand Millennium made.

Notre Dame scored the next four points to build the biggest lead of the final set. Fittingly, Willow, a senior whose dreamt of Tuesday’s trophy moment since her freshman season, capped her high school career by whipping a left-handed kill over the block and down the line for the final point.

The victory gave Notre Dame (33-9) its first volleyball state title since 2007.

“I just knew that my team was working so hard for this,” Willow said. “It wasn’t just about that one point that won the game. It was the whole team that was with me the whole time.”

As soon as the ball struck Millennium’s side on the final play, Willow dropped to the floor, covered her face with her hands and took in the moment with her team.

Final point of the D-2 title game. Norte Dame's Willow Johnson with the exclamation point. pic.twitter.com/aaHT0ePGrI

— Jose E. Garcia (@AZPreps365Jose) November 11, 2015

Up in the stands Tuesday, was a very proud father, Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson. Johnson came down to congratulate Willow and Lexi and then left, leaving the spotlight all to his daughters and teammates.

 

Lexi was the other bright spot for Notre Dame, who really exposed Millennium’s weakness, its middle. Millennium didn’t have an answer for the 6-feet-3 Lexi and her 17 kills, which came mostly on quick sets.

Lexi tallied five of the final seven points for Notre Dame in the second set.

“I was hoping to keep it (middle) camouflaged all year,” Millennium coach Julie Vastyne said. “We’ll work on it this offseason.”

Not winning Game 1 was probably the turning point for Millennium, which had a set point at 24-23.

But with Willow and Lexi in the front row, closing the game was tough for Millennium, the No. 2 seed in the tournament. Notre Dame blocked Millennium twice and Lexi crushed a quick set from Natalie Kish to wrap up Game 1.

Junior outside hitter Baily Smith led Millennium with 14 kills. Millennium dressed five freshmen this year but still finished with an impressive 38-7 record.

“I told the girls, ‘You guys shouldn’t hang your heads,’” Vastyne said. “To be this young and be in this position, that’s pretty darn good.  You should feel proud of yourselves.”