Too much experience. Too much skill. Too much power. Too much size.

In the end, it was those four things that allowed the heavily favored Pleasant Grove volleyball team to sweep to victory in the 5A championship, winning 25-16, 25-16, 26-24 over Lone Peak on Saturday at the McKay Center at UVU.

Viking coach Jamie Schapper was overcome by her emotions after the victory. She has gone from winning the championship as a player in 2001 through a college career and now back to Pleasant Grove as a coach, where she now gets to celebrate her first title in that role.

She said it's definitely better to collect the trophy as a coach.

"To take all of what I've learned in my career to help my players learn how to win a championship, nothing's better than that," she said.

"I'm so proud of the girls. They were money. They did everything they needed to do to have this success, and I'm so pleased to see them achieve their goals."

The Vikings jumped out to a big advantage in the first game, as the Knights appeared somewhat tentative. Lone Peak closed to within five points a couple of times but could never keep a rally going long enough to cut into the deficit.

Lone Peak was able to keep up a little longer in Game 2, but once again fell behind about halfway through and couldn't catch up.

The third game was the most indicative of the true respective levels of these teams. Both sides demonstrated eye-catching saves, heart-stopping kills and breathless volleys that lasted for 10 exchanges or more.

One observer sitting close to the media area commented at the incredible level of the volleyball he was witnessing.

That's perhaps the best thing about this on-going rivalry between two great programs -- the chance for local fans to see the game played the way it's meant to be played.

For Pleasant Grove's senior-heavy roster, this victory was the culmination of a quest that started for them as freshmen.

It was fitting that the team's emotional leader, Danica Mendivil, made the final kill that put the seal she wanted on her prep career. She tallied 19 kills and 15 digs in another superlative effort.

"We wanted to see them (Lone Peak) in the final because we thought it would be a good match," Mendivil said.

It was also a way for the Vikings to apply salve to the wound that has festered for a year following their dramatic loss to the Knights in last year's title game.

"It was wonderful to end our senior year this way," she added. "We were determined to leave it all on the court, and that's just what we did."

She had special praise for her team's libero and defensive specialists, whose contributions were so critical to Pleasant Grove's success all season.

"They are so good," Mendivil said. "Nobody goes after balls like they do, and they just made one amazing play after another. They wanted to make a statement for themselves about the kind of team we are, and they did that."

Mckell Staheli tallied an incredible 27 digs. Kemi McFarland added 23 assists, 13 digs, five kills and three aces. Kimberly Dahl had 13 kills, six digs and three big aces.

For BYU commit Jennifer Hamson, who contributed nine kills and two blocks, the title fills in a spot on her resume that was missing up to this point.

"This feels so good," she said. "I'm so happy. This is an amazing feeling, to be part of something like this. It's such a privilege to be part of such a great team."

Hamson said the keys to the Viking success in the tournament was to try to stay mentally tough and make sure they had enough energy to play at the level they wanted to.

Judging by the results, they did just that.

• Beky Beaton can be reached at bbeaton@heraldextra.com.

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