(Tucson, AZ) The Pima Community College volleyball team (6-6, 2-0 in ACCAC) protected home court on Wednesday in a thrilling match against Yavapai College (5-7, 1-3).
The Aztecs defeated the Roughriders in five sets (25-22, 20-25, 25-11, 23-25, 15-13).
The Aztecs trailed 21-18 but got three straight points with help from freshman Tameryn Koford and sophomore Abby Whatton’s (Canyon del Oro HS) kills to tie at 21-21. The Roughriders retook the lead at 22-21 but the Aztecs scored the final four points of the set to go up 1-0. Sophomore Morgan Hains (Canyon del Oro HS) had two aces during that stretch.
The Aztecs trailed for much of the second set and cut it to a two-point deficit at 21-19after Whatton’s kill but Yavapai scored four of the final five points to tie the match at 1-1.
The Aztecs countered by dominating the third set as freshman Kenna Simon provided a spark with two quick kills to get it going for Pima. Up 7-3, they scored five straight points to make it 12-3 as Yavapai called their second timeout of the set. Pima took their first double digit lead at 16-6. Up 19-9, Simon had another kills and freshman Taylor Crawford (Ironwood Ridge HS) had an ace to give the Aztecs their biggest lead at that point at 21-9. Sophomore Sasha Ross (Canyon del Oro HS) put down the final kill and Pima went up 2-1.
The Roughriders took an early lead in the fourth set as the Aztecs were forced to play catch-up. The Aztecs trailed by as much as seven points at 15-8 but cut the deficit in half with four straight points. Simon had two kills and Whatton had an ace to make it 15-12. Down 24-20, the Aztecs made it interesting again as Simon had a kill, Hains had an ace and freshman Jasmin Joseph (Tanque Verde HS) had a block point to make it 24-23. The Roughriders tied the match at 2-2 on the next point.
Jasmin Joseph – Photo by Stephanie van Latum
Yavapai began the fifth set scoring five of the first six points forcing the Aztecs to call timeout down 5-1. Trailing 8-4, Simon had a kill, a Yavapai shot went out, and Ross put down a kill to cut it to 8-7. Yavapai scored the next three points to make it 11-7. The Aztecs went on to score six of the next seven points. Joseph’s ace gave the Aztecs their first lead at 13-12 forcing the Roughriders to use their second timeout. The next point went to the Aztecs after a Yavapai shot hit the net to make it 14-12. Two points later, Whatton ended it with a kill to seal the win.
Whatton finished the match with a double-double of 14 kills and 17 digs to go along with two aces. Ross closed out the match with 11 kills and four blocks. Simon also had double figures with 10 kills along with three blocks. Koford posted eight kills and three blocks.
Crawford had a double-double of her own with 42 assists and 12 digs. She also had three kills, three aces and two blocks.
Hains finished the match with 27 digs and three aces while Joseph had six kills and 18 digs.
The Aztecs will play at Chandler-Gilbert Community College next Wednesday, Sept. 13 in an ACCAC conference matchup. First volley is at 7:00 p.m.
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez
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