When Sandy Miller talks about her Chambers volleyball team, her voice fills with excitement.

Despite losing a middle blocker, an outside hitter and a four-year starter at setter from last year's state runner-up team, the Coyotes went 30-1 and bring the No. 1 ranking to this week's Class D-2 state tournament. They open at 1:30 p.m. Thursday against Falls City Sacred Heart at Lincoln Southwest High School.

“It's been pretty exciting,” she said. “We lost some good players from last year. I didn't know if our kids would step up or not and every single one of them has. It's been kind of fun.”

Five players have totaled at least 100 kills.

“I've never had that; never had five good hitters on a team,” Miller said. “Every girl gets about 20 attempts each (every match). They're a pretty unselfish bunch.”

Kelsey Owen, a 5-foot-5 junior, leads the Coyotes with 206 kills, while 5-6 senior Montana Libolt (191), 5-8 senior Katelyn Gottsch (186), 5-8 senior Erin DeVries (151) and 5-8 junior Laura Tomjack (143) also see their share of sets.

Junior Megan Hoffman, last year's libero, has a team-high 669 assists, while Libolt has 164 assists and 65 ace serves. Tomjack has a team-best 298 digs.

Chambers has won 37 consecutive sets since its only loss, a 2-1 setback to Class C-1 state qualifier Wisner-Pilger on Sept. 26. The Coyotes have lost just two sets to D-2 competition, one to state qualifier Greeley-Wolbach and one on opening night to Elgin Pope John.

Their schedule featured seven matches against D-1 competition, two against C-2 schools and four versus C-1 teams.

“The kids learn a lot from the matches against the larger schools,” said Miller, who added the bigger schools after missing out on a couple of wild-card berths.

Chambers makes its 12th appearance at the state tournament this week, including five straight. The Coyotes lost a 2007 opening-round game to Sacred Heart, lost in 2006 in the second round and lost their 2005 opener.

“It would not feel normal if you did not get down there,” Miller said. “It's just the normal thing here. I think the fans expect it and the kids expect it out of themselves, too.”

Chambers' girls basketball team, which Miller assists her husband John as coach, has qualified for state 15 of the past 22 years. The Coyotes have won five state basketball championships and finished second four times.

“That's where it all began,” Miller said. “It's kind of starting to get the same way in volleyball.”

And Miller would like to add just one state volleyball championship to the family's list of accomplishments.

“I've been really happy with how the girls have been playing,” she said. “Knock on wood we can continue.”

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444-1201, sports@owh.com