(Tucson, AZ) The Pima Community College volleyball team (1-4) played a non-conference match at Eastern Arizona College on Wednesday in Thatcher.
The Aztecs took a 2-1 lead in the match but fell to the Gila Monsters in a five-set tiebreaker (25-20, 22-25, 16-25, 25-22, 15-13).
The Aztecs matched their biggest lead in the final set after sophomore Jessica Bright-Schade (Safford HS) put down a kill to make it 10-7. The Gila Monsters went on to score six straight points to take the lead for good.
After dropping the first set, the Aztecs found themselves in a 13-13 tie mid-way into the second set. The Aztecs got a pair of kills from sophomore Deanna Almaguer and an ace from Bright-Schade to take an 18-13 advantage. The Gila Monsters rallied to tie the game at 21-21 but the Aztecs took back the lead with kills from Almaguer and Bright-Schade.
The Aztecs never trailed in the third set as their biggest lead was by nine points towards the end of the set. Freshman Laney Morris (Thatcher HS) had three aces in the game.
In the fourth set, the Aztecs took an early lead after sophomore Haley Duncan (Walden Grove HS) and Almaguer put down kills. Morris had another ace to put Pima up 10-5. The Aztecs held a slim lead, but Eastern Arizona tied the score at 19-19. The Aztecs surrendered six of the final nine points in the set. There were nine ties in the fourth set.
Bright-Schade led the Aztecs with 15 kills while Almaguer finished with 14 kills.
Sophomore Lina Kassimatis produced a double-double of 11 kills and 10 digs while fellow sophomore Isabella Jacome closed out the match with 44 assists, 14 digs and three aces. Freshman Morgan Hains (Canyon del Oro HS) posted 34 digs.
The Aztecs will play two matches on Friday at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix. They’ll face off against the Cougars at 3:00 p.m. and then play Williston State College at 5:00 p.m.
Press Release courtesy of Pima College Athletics – Raymond Suarez
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