It had lost to Phoenix Desert Vista twice in September, but this is November and that’s when Phoenix Xavier rises to another level.

SLIDESHOW: 5A-I volleyball championship

The Gators beat Desert Vista 3-0 at Phoenix Brophy Prep’s Robson Gymnasium Tuesday night to win their second straight 5A-I state girls volleyball championship.

Xavier, which won by scores of 25-22, 25-23, 25-15, has won three of the last four titles and eight overall. All have come in the last 12 years.

It was Desert Vista’s second trip to the final. It was also the runner-up in 2004.

“That’s something we train for,” said Xavier coach Tim McHale of his team’s late-season dominance. “We can be good at the beginning of the year, but it’s that constant everyday trying to find ways to get better. These girls work very hard.”

Junior Julia Bonadio led the Gators with 14 kills. Freshman Katarina Schulz had 11. Junior setter Stephanie Preach dished out 35 assists.

“It’s the most wonderful feeling ever,” Bonadio said. “This is what we work for at the start of every year. Our overall goal is always to win state.”

Desert Vista beat Xavier 3-1 during the first week of the regular season and downed the Gators 2-1 in a match in the Goldwater Tournament, which Xavier eventually won.

The Thunder came back strong in each of the first two games Tuesday.

Desert Vista led for much of the second game. A pair of service aces from senior Chloe Steadman put the Thunder ahead 16-13. Xavier came back to tie it, 19-19, and then pulled ahead 23-19 before Desert Vista put together a rally to close it to 24-23. After a timeout, Bonadio ended the game with a kill.

In the first set, Desert Vista staved off six set points. Xavier led by as many as eight and as late as 24-16 before the Thunder rallied. Desert Vista’s Betsi Metter had two service aces and a kill during the comeback. Gator senior Kate Coppola stifled the run with a game-finishing kill.

“Xavier played really well,” said Desert Vista coach Molly West. “They just had a little too much offense tonight.”

In the 5A-II championship match, Peoria Centennial bounced back from losing the first set to beat Glendale Deer Valley, 17-25, 25-19, 28-26, 25-19.