(Tucson, AZ) The Pima Community College volleyball team (1-4) opened play in the Aztec Classic on Thursday at the West Campus Aztec Gymnasium.
The Aztecs took the first set but fell to No. 6 ranked Grand Rapids Community College in four games (14-25, 25-17, 25-22, 25-21).
The Aztecs cushioned their lead with four straight points taking a 12-4 lead in the first set. They took their first double digit lead at 18-8 and sophomore Bekah O’Day (Skyline HS) gave Pima their biggest lead at 19-8 after a block point. Freshman Kenna Simon’s spike set up match point as the Aztecs took a 1-0 lead.
The Aztecs fell behind early in the second set and trailed by as much as 13 points at 19-6but they scored nine straight points to get back into the game trailing 19-15. Sophomores Abby Whatton (Canyon del Oro HS), Christina Shaffer (Pusch Ridge Christian HS) and O’Day each had kills during that stretch and took advantage of Grand Rapid’s miscues. The Raiders scored the next three points and tied the match at 1-1.
In a tightly contested third set, the Aztecs took a 21-19 lead after Shaffer’s kill but the Raiders scored six of the final seven points to take the lead in the match.
The Aztecs created some room with a kill by sophomore Sasha Ross (Canyon del Oro HS), an ace by freshman Jasmin Joseph (Tanque Verde HS) and a shot that went outside the lines putting the Aztecs up 11-6. The Raiders tied it at 11-11. Both teams went back and forth with both holding advantages of just two points. The Raiders took their biggest lead of the set at 23-19. Whatton put down a kill on the next point, but the Aztecs could not cut the deficit.
Whatton finished the match with 10 kills while freshman Taylor Crawford (Ironwood Ridge HS) had 31 assists and sophomore Morgan Hains (Canyon del Oro HS) close it out with 25 digs.
The Aztecs are back at the West Campus Gymnasium on Saturday when they host Southeastern Community College at 11:30 a.m.
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez
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