Taylor Masterson didn't spend Sunday celebrating a return trip to the final four.

The junior middle for the St. Joseph's volleyball team, fresh off a thrilling quarterfinal win over Cor Jesu Saturday night, spent her day of rest taking orders, filling drinks and slinging pies at a local pizzeria.

The 6-foot Masterson went to work. Which is fitting, since that's what the Angels have done day in and day out this season.

They go to work.

The defending Class 4 champions, St. Joseph's (29-6) entered this season with a larger than life target on its back. Opponents foam at the mouth to give the Angels their best game because they're the Angels. Throw in the fact they're the champs and it takes that rabid want to win to another level.

Every time Masterson and her teammates take the court, chances are they're seeing their opponent's best game. The only way to fight that fire is with fire.

Consider the Angels a five-alarm blaze.

“We're practicing every day for two and a half or three hours,” Masterson, 16, said. “We take practice seriously.”

From the first day of practice, Coach Karen Davis and her staff have demanded the team's full attention and effort as a given at each practice and each game. If you're spending time trying to coach effort you're fighting a losing battle.

Davis hasn't had to ask for effort. Instead the Angels keep their focus on fine tuning the things they do well and improving on the things they don't. Masterson said this week, the last week of practice for the few teams remaining in the state, will be just like the ones before it.

“It's business,” she said. “This is the week where all the things we have worked on all season, we have to put it all together.”

First up for St. Joseph's in the state semifinals in Kansas City will be rival Incarnate Word (25-9). The two teams played a three set thriller the first week of the season. The Angels pulled out the victory by winning the second and third set. But that was a long time ago. Both teams are better and both powerhouses have eyes on adding to their state championship trophy case. St. Joseph's is chasing its eighth. Incarnate wants to hang its 11th banner.

Masterson said that while playing a familiar foe does bring a little something, it won't matter once the game is underway. It's not about Incarnate, it's about winning.

“Incarnate has always been our biggest rival,” she said. “No matter what, we're going to be pumped. No matter who we play we'll bring the same intensity.”

dkvidahl@yourjournal.com