(Tucson, AZ) The Pima Community College volleyball team (15-8, 8-4 in ACCAC) closed out the regular season with a statement victory over Glendale Community College (13-6, 10-2) handing the Gauchos just their second loss in ACCAC conference play.
The Aztecs dropped the first set but bounced back taking three straight from the Gauchos in their win in four sets (21-25, 25-18, 25-17, 25-23).
The Aztecs trailed for much of the first set but tied it up on five occasions. With the score knotted at 18-18, the Gauchos scored three straight points and held a slim lead the rest of the set to go up 1-0.
The Aztecs trailed in the early points of the second set but took their first lead after a kill by freshman Amaris Biancuzzo (Mica Mountain HS) and two out-of-bounds attempts to make it 13-11. The Aztecs created more breathing room after sophomore Addison Gilvin (Sahuarita HS) and freshman Victoria Page had back-to-back kills to help make it 18-13. Up 21-18, the Aztecs scored the final four points, which included Biancuzzo’s kill to tie the match at 1-1.
The Aztecs led the whole way in the third set. Freshman Ansley Snyder (Canyon del Oro HS) provided a spark in the early points as she had three kills while sophomore Alexandra Jacome (Canyon del Oro HS) had an ace to give Pima a 9-4 lead. Sophomore Alexia Hutchens (Salpointe Catholic HS) helped stop a momentum shift as she provided two straight kills to make it 18-10. Glendale cut Pima’s lead to four points at 19-15, but Gilvin had two blocks at the net for points to put the score at 22-15. The Aztecs went up 2-1 in the match.
There was excitement in the fourth set as the Gauchos broke a tie with six straight points to take a 15-9 lead. The Gauchos went up 19-13 but the Aztecs chipped away as freshman Skylar Westburg had a couple of kills to help Pima score four straight and close the gap. Glendale clinged to a 22-19 advantage but Biancuzzo tied the match with three straight points. She had a kill and two blocks for points to make it 22-22. With the game tied, Snyder’s kill and Gilvin’s block secured the win.
Biancuzzo finished the match with a team-high 13 kills to go with four blocks. Page added 12 kills and three blocks. Snyder had 10 kills and two blocks for the match.
Freshman Leah Stoneking (Catalina Foothills HS) posted 21 digs and three aces. Sophomore Breeze Schelter finished with a double-double of 21 assists, 12 digs and three aces. Jacome had 18 assists, eight digs and two aces.
The Aztecs will be the No. 3 seed for the Region I, Division II Tournament. They will face off with No. 2 seed Glendale Community College on Wednesday in Glendale at 7:00 p.m.
Press Release courtesy of Pima Aztec Athletics – Raymond Suarez
