Buttars coming on strong as Skyridge girls volleyball races to 14-0
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- Kylie Buttars of Skyridge takes a swing against American Fork in a high school girls volleyball match on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025.
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- Kylie Buttars of Skyridge serves the ball against American Fork in a high school girls volleyball match on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025.
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- Lily Grant of Skyridge sets the ball during a high school girls volleyball match against American Fork on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025.
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- Skyridge players celebrate a point during a high school girls volleyball match against American Fork on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025.
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- Lily Grant of Skyridge serves the ball against American Fork in a high school girls volleyball match on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025.
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- Sienna Kuresa (left) and Kylie Buttars of Skyridge play defense during a high school girls volleyball match against American Fork on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025.
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- Haydn Smith of Skyridge (2) hits the ball against American Fork in a high school girls volleyball match on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2029.
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- Skyridge students celebrate a point during a high school girls volleyball match against American Fork on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025.
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- American Fork’s Macy Melville (19) takes a swing against Skyridge in a high school girls volleyball match on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025.
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- American Fork players celebrate a point during a high school girls volleyball match against Skyridge on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025.
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- American Fork’s Brynn Murray serves the ball against Skyridge in a high school girls volleyball match on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025.
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- Hadyn Smith of Skyridge prepares to serve the ball against American Fork on a high school girls volleyball match on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025.
Kylie Buttars is finding her groove, and that should concern every team left on the Skyridge girls volleyball team’s schedule.
The Falcons stayed undefeated Tuesday, opening Region 3 play with a decisive 3-0 sweep (25-16, 25-16, 25-13) of American Fork.
That’s 14 up and 14 down for Skyridge, which also won the 36-team Utah Valley Invitational over the weekend.
Buttars, a 6-foot-1 senior and a BYU commit, started a bit slowly in 2025 after an All-State performance last season. But Buttars had 20 kills in a five-set win against 4A’s top team, Orem, in the Utah Valley Invitational semifinals and followed that up with 19 kills in another five-setter against one of the best in 5A, Woods Cross, in the finals.
Against American Fork, Buttars was again in fine form and led the Falcons with 14 kills in a dominant performance.
“We’ve been working on her timing,” Skyridge coach Tayler Hifo said. “It was a little bit off in the beginning but she’s been putting in the work, staying for extra reps. She’s been working on it a lot and I think it’s manifesting in how she’s playing now.”
Buttars posted 413 kills (3.9 per set) as a junior as the Falcons lost in the 6A quarterfinals to eventual champion Lone Peak and finished seventh.
“I think I’m just trying to carry my teammates up with me, control what I can control and help contribute to the team,” Buttars said. “I feel like we’re just coming together as a team. We’re all buying in and we really want to win every game. We’re really competitive, too.
“I think what makes up special is we never give up. No matter what the score is, we’re always fighting for every point and we’re never too far behind.”
Hifo added: “Her team voted her as the team captain this year. I think she brings a great presence to the court and has a good reset for them to be able to trust her. Then she also trusts her teammates to the do their jobs.”
Everyone was doing their jobs against American Fork, which came into the match with a 11-1 record.
The Falcons jumped out to a 6-0 lead in Set 1 and went up 7-2 on a Buttars kill. Two kills from Hadyn Smith helped push the advantage out to 12-2 and a kill from Lily Lungberg got the score to set point. An American Fork service error gave Skyridge a 25-15 win.
Set 2 was more of the same, with a kill from Smith making the score 10-4. Buttars connected on an ace for a 17-10 lead. Buttars hammered another kill to get to 24-16 and Mary Faga’s block finished off the win.
Buttars got the Falcons off to another quick start in the third set and her kill gave the home team a 5-1 lead. Once the score reached 19-9, Buttars had three kills down the stretch and sophomore Sienna Kuresa did the honors with a smash that AF couldn’t handle for the 25-13 victory and the match.
“I’m super happy,” Hifo said. “American Fork is a well-coached team. I thought they played pretty tough. Our girls, we’ve been working on things in the gym and to see them apply it in games, that’s all you want as a coach. It’s nice to see them do that when they’re all winning all their matches.
“I think we’re pretty good about making sure they’re not focusing on where we’re ranked. We know we have things to work on every day in the gym. I think they’re doing a good job.”
The Falcons have now won nine matches in a row against the Cavemen.
American Fork (11-2) takes on Lone Peak Thursday and Skyridge (14-0) has a big showdown with Corner Canyon.
