(Tucson, AZ) The Pima Community College volleyball team (7-5, 4-1 in ACCAC) rallied to pick up another huge win for the second straight day as it hosted No. 15 ranked Mesa Community College on Wednesday at the West Campus Aztec Gymnasium.
The Aztecs defeated the Thunderbirds in five sets and rallied after dropping the first two games (26-28, 27-29, 25-23, 25-18, 15-5).
The Aztecs were forced to play from behind for much of the first set as it trailed 18-13 but kept it close. Down 24-22 and facing set point, they tied it at 24-24 to force extra play. The teams tied two more times before the Thunderbirds gained a 1-0 lead in the match. There were 12 ties total in the opening set.
The Aztecs led for much of the second set and held their biggest advantage at six points on a few occasions. Up 18-12, the Thunderbirds rallied off six straight points to tie it up. Neither team would hold more than a one-point lead for the rest of the set. Freshman Julia Weatherbie (Mountain View HS) had an ace to put Pima up 27-26 but Mesa scored the final three points to take a 2-0 lead in the match. There were 10 ties and six lead changes in the set.
The third set was close for the first 24 combined points as neither team held more than a two-point advantage. Sophomore Haylee Gilleland (Flagstaff HS) had a kill, sophomore Jasmin Joseph (Tanque Verde HS) put down an ace and freshman Kendall Snyder’s (Canyon del Oro HS) gave Pima a 14-11 lead. That would prove to be Pima’s biggest lead of the set. Trailing 21-19, the Aztecs scored three straight points to reclaim the lead at 22-21 that was capped off by freshman Maggie McReynolds’ (Mountain View HS) kill. The Aztecs earned the win scoring the final two points of the set but still trailed 2-1 in the match. There were 15 ties and six lead changes in the third set.
The score was tied at 14-14 in the fourth set and the Aztecs went on to score six of the next seven points to take a 20-15 lead. Their lead never diminished beyond four points as they tied the match forcing a tiebreaker.
Pima opened a lead in the tiebreaker with four straight points as Joseph had two aces during that stretch and Gilleland’s kill capped the run to make it 8-3. Up 10-5, Gilleland had a kill and an ace as Pima scored the final five points to complete the comeback.
McReynolds finished with a team-high 25 kills while Gilleland posted 24 kills, two blocks and two aces.
Sophomore Kenna Simon was also in double figures with 13 kills.
Joseph and sophomore Elli Meinke (Ironwood Ridge HS) each had four aces. Joseph finished the match with 37 digs.
The Aztecs close out a busy week on Friday when they host No. 6 ranked Scottsdale Community College. The match is set to begin at 7:00 p.m.
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez
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