(Mesa, AZ) The Pisila Tukia era got off to a solid start on Friday night as the Park University Gilbert women’s volleyball team defeated Justice College in its season opener in straight sets 3-0 (25-8, 25-18, 25-5) at Arizona Athletic Grounds. The Buccaneers open the season with a win for only second time in the schools six-year history.
The last time the Bucs won its season opener it was in their inaugural season when they defeated South Mountain Community College 3-0. This is quite an interesting fact considering the Bucs have won two conference regular season titles, a conference tournament title and made two trips to the NAIA tournament in its first five seasons.
The night was a showcase in the depth Tukia feels her squad has this season as eight different players recorded kills on the evening, led by sophomore outside hitter Leila Lee with nine, She hit .385 for the game. Junior middle blocker Mallory Turner had an almost perfect evening, with eight kills, no errors and a gaudy .615 hitting percentage. She is now just eight kills from moving into fifth place on the all-time kills list. Junior right side hitter Kyla Knight had an efficient evening with five kills, four aces and a .400 hitting percentage.
Sophomore outside hitter Porsche Bauer had a great night, not only recording four kills with no errors, but adding in six aces with ties a plethora of players for the second most aces in school history. Jessi Medlin holds the record with nine at Simpson two seasons ago.
Graduate setter Daniella Miranda-Johnson had 21 assists in two sets of work on the night. With her 16th helper this evening, Miranda-Johnson moved into third place on the Bucs all-time leading assists ledger, passing Melissa Blockey. She now has 596 career assists.
The Bucs starters cruised in sets one and three only surrendering a total of 13 points in those two sets. In set two, Tukia mixed her lineup a little differently and the set was tighter, as the two squads were tied at 13-all before the Bucs closed it out with a 12-5 run.’
The Bucs were consistent with 12, 11 and 11 kills respectively in each set, but the Buccos continued to get cleaner in each successive set with one few error (4,3,2) in each frame.
Park finished with 34 kills, only nine errors and hit .342 for the contest. They also recorded 17 aces which is the second most in school history only behind the 19 against Nelson University (SAGU-AIC) in the Bucs first year.
The Bucs do not return to the court for regular season action until Monday, Sept. 9 when they will travel to Chandler, Ariz., to take on Justice College once again. Game time is 6 p.m.
Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Preston English
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