Max Zepeda is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Desert Mountain High School for AZPreps365.com

In every volleyball program, the depth of an attacking line is continuously tested throughout the ups and downs of a regular season: from the risk of injuries to how much playing time is given, and the recognition of how deep a team is on their front line.

That depth has been tested for Desert Mountain all season long, and possibly had its biggest obstacle to overcome Tuesday, as the Wolves defeated the Youngker Roughriders in the AIA Play-in round to advance to the Round of 16 for the fourth time in five seasons.

Most importantly, their attacking presence has been better in 2023 than in recent years, which has resulted in more sets and matches won than many outside the program had anticipated. Desert Mountain's 21-15 record in the regular season was its first campaign with 20 wins or more since 2014.

For much of this season, the attacking front of the Wolves has had to rely on the performance of freshman outside hitter Nylah Bibby, as she led Desert Mountain in total kills (232) and kills per set (2.8) in the regular season. She also had the most sets played of any player for the Wolves in 2023.

However, due to injury, Bibby was out for the first time this season Tuesday. This was troubling timing, considering the postseason was just beginning.

Nevertheless, the attacking line of head coach Dana Achtzehn’s squad, like it had all regular season, displayed its depth and experience. Bibby and sophomore middle hitter Ava Archibald are the only two members of the Wolves roster who are first or second-year students, meaning that those behind players like Bibby on the depth chart were veterans of the program and its recent postseason endeavors.

“We are a balanced team and we have been all year,” Achtzehn said after Tuesday’s play-in victory. “The other side doesn’t care about where we are health-wise and who is available, and that ‘next woman up’ mentality has been with us all year.”

Senior outside hitters Vivian Adamucci and Aubrey Johnson, as well as junior middle hitter Rory Tower, have been the ones leading the charge in showcasing this depth on the front line through 2023. In fact, Adamucci’s 11-kill performance Tuesday actually catapulted her to first in kills over the course of 2023 with the absence of Bibby from the court.

In contrast, the experience further down the depth chart has been evident in the home stretch of this season as well. From contributions in players like Archibald to even those like junior middle hitter Ava Niven, who made some key attacks late in the contest Tuesday to help extend the Wolves’ season.

One of the catalysts who has represented that depth in a massive way, specifically, for Desert Mountain has been junior middle hitter Kaitlyn Millington.

Millington, who has been in and out of starting lineups all season long as the second middle hitter behind Tower, had never played any other position during her varsity career; that being until Tuesday.

With not only the absence of Bibby but also junior outside hitter Olivia Colletto, who called in sick just prior to Tuesday’s Play-in game, Millington was told once arriving at the school that she would be playing outside hitter for the match -- a position she hadn’t been in since her days as a club player.

“It’s nothing new for me, playing outside and everything, but it is just a different tempo,” Millington said Tuesday. “You just have to be more intentional and dialed in with your hits, which I think is something we all did tonight.”

Overall, the attacking experience for Desert Mountain has shown many positive signs in 2023. But matches like Tuesday’s Play-in round have been a key reminder that the Wolves have the depth on the front line to make noise this postseason, as Desert Mountain heads to Peoria to take on the No. 5 seeded Sunrise Mountain Mustangs on Thursday night in the Round of 16.

“We just have to take care of business, that is all we can do from here,” Achtzehn said. “We need to continue to fix our mental issues in multiple areas, but once we do that, we can beat any team we have to play going forward.”