Faith Lutheran Volleyball Reaches State Tournament
The team clinched a spot in the Class 5A bracket by defeating Centennial in Wednesday's regional semifinal.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Volleyball
Faith Lutheran volleyball players secured a return to the state tournament for the first time since 2018 after a dominant three-set sweep of Centennial on Wednesday. The Crusaders, now holding a 30-7 season record, clinched their spot in the Class 5A state tournament following the semifinal victory at Legacy.
Why it matters
The win marks a milestone for the program as the team breaks a seven-year drought to compete at the state level. The path forward now leads to a regional title match against Bishop Gorman before the state tournament begins in northern Nevada.
Faith Lutheran swept the match with set scores of 25-16, 25-14, and 25-15, fueled by 21 kills from Abby Bunyan. The team currently holds a 30-7 season record heading into the region final against a 31-6 Bishop Gorman squad.
The players
Faith Lutheran
The Crusaders volleyball program that secured a state tournament berth.
Abby Bunyan
A key player for Faith Lutheran who recorded 21 kills in the semifinal win.
Bishop Gorman
The high school team that Faith Lutheran will face for the region title.
The details
The Crusaders set an early tone by jumping to a 7-2 lead in the first set and utilized a balanced attack from six different hitters to overwhelm the Bulldogs. Abby Bunyan led the effort with 21 kills, while Olivia Kiel provided 25 assists and Ellee Ford added five aces. The team now prepares to face Bishop Gorman for the Southern Region title this Saturday before heading to UNR for the state tournament on Nov. 5-6.
Timeline
Wednesday: Faith Lutheran played the region semifinal match.
Saturday: Faith Lutheran plays Bishop Gorman in region final.
Nov. 5-6: Class 5A state tournament takes place at UNR.
Beyond the Strip
This victory ends a seven-year dry spell for the program, marking the team's first return to the state tournament since 2018. The current run mirrors the competitive growth seen in other high school programs aiming to unseat established regional leaders.
Fans planning to support the team at the region final on Saturday should prepare for travel to the designated match site. Those tracking the full state run can mark their calendars for the Nov. 5-6 tournament schedule hosted at UNR.
The takeaway
The Crusaders return to the state stage after a dominant performance and will look to maintain momentum in the regional final. Watch for the result of the Saturday matchup against Bishop Gorman to determine seeding for the upcoming state tournament.
What happens next
The region championship match against Bishop Gorman is set for Saturday, followed by the Class 5A state tournament at UNR on Nov. 5-6.
Further reading
Follow the latest Volleyball updates as local high school programs head toward state championships.
