5A-4A volleyball player of year: Kendall Gaffney, Cheyenne Mtn.

Kendall Gaffney was “close to flawless” on a team that achieved perfection.

Check out a gallery of photos featuring Kendall.

The versatile senior did a little bit of everything as Cheyenne Mountain claimed its second straight Class 4A volleyball title.

“It’s not just her hitting, but blocking, defense, serve-receive,” coach David Barkley said. “Kendall’s gone from being a hitter to a scorer.”

Gaffney’s steady improvement pushed the Indians to 31-0 — a record accentuated by the fact Cheyenne Mountain dropped only six games along the way.

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“Kendall was good all year, but she took it to the next level and put it in another gear the last third of the season,” Barkley said. “Her play was close to flawless and she took the team with her. It was like a student getting an A all year and then going to A-plus.”

Gaffney will continue her career at Bryant University in Smithfield, R.I., with plans of eventually attending medical school and becoming a pediatrician. Playing college volleyball is a long way from her spot on the “C” team as a freshman.

“I don’t know many kids that go from ‘C’ team to starting on varsity in a really good program in just one year,” Barkley said. “She worked hard to do that.”

Gaffney said her improvement was fostered by a club season that was her first in competitive volleyball. But her steady rise didn’t stop there.

“I’m a stronger hitter now than I was a year ago,” the 5-foot-10 Gaffney said. “My reading and defense were definitely a lot better, too.”

A year after finishing 29-2, Gaffney expected to win another title. But even she was surprised by the overwhelming success.

“This season was really beyond my expectations — going undefeated and everything,” Gaffney said. “Toward the end of the year, we played better as a team and everything clicked.”