Get set: Volleyball position is as key as point guard in basketball or football's quarterback

They're the quarterbacks of the volleyball court. They run the offense. Every play goes through them. They usually don't get the glory of the kill, but they do get the satisfaction of knowing that without them, the outside hitters and middle blockers couldn't get the ball down on the other side of the net. They're setters. And Utah County's volleyball teams couldn't win without them.

"How important is the quarterback to a football team?" asked Lone Peak volleyball coach Deanna Meyer. "Setters touch the ball on every play."

Meyer is lucky to have one of the state's top setters on her side in Ashley Hamilton, who has been leading the Knights for three years and has garnered top honors in setting her team to the 4A state title two years running.

Not every team in the valley is lucky enough to have a veteran setter who understands the game and seems to know just what to do every time the ball crosses the net. But every team does depend on their setter or setters just as every basketball team depends on its point guard.

Just as a point guard must know when to take matters into her own hands and throw up a quick shot instead of tossing the pass to a teammate, a setter must decide in a split second exactly where to put the ball for the most effective hit.

Whether she dumps the ball over the net on the second shot, puts up a high set for a solid outside or a quick short set for the middle or even a perfect pass meant for a tough arm in the back row, the setter must communicate with her teammates without allowing the other team to read her mind or actions. And if her decision doesn't lead to a solid hit, she must prepare herself to take part of the blame and steal herself for the next point. Because she rarely gets a rest.

Though most of the accolades go to the ladies of the kill, the setter is probably the most technical position on the court and one of the toughest to learn and master, but the valley's setters are either learning or mastering their skills this fall and leading their teams to real victories or moral victories. Here's a look at some of the county's top quarterbacks of the court.

Region 4

ALLYCE WILSON/JANAE MORTENSEN, PLEASANT GROVE: The Pleasant Grove Vikings are one of the favorites in the state to take the 5A crown this season, and much of the reason is the reliable game and decision making by its two setters. Though Wilson and Mortensen do split time at setter, Wilson gets most of the action this season at the spot as the team has gone from a 6-2 team to mostly a 5-1 team this season, which leaves 5-foot-2-inch Wilson in through the entire rotation, even in the front row.