Morgan Hains has 21 digs but Aztecs volleyball falls in four sets at Mesa CC

The Pima Community College volleyball team (3-9, 0-2 in ACCAC) got back to ACCAC conference play on Wednesday at Mesa Community College (2-2, 2-2).

• The Aztecs took an early advantage in the match and played an extended second set but fell to the Thunderbirds in four games (19-25, 30-28, 25-14, 25-21).
• Up 19-16 in the first set, the Aztecs cushioned their lead with a kill by sophomore Jessica Bright-Schade (Safford HS) and then a kill from sophomore Deanna Almaguer to make it 22-16. Almaguer provided another kill to setup set point at 24-18. A Mesa serve went out of the bounds and the Aztecs took the first game.
• The Aztecs fell behind 19-15 but took advantage of some Mesa miscues to tie the game in the second set. Almaguer had back-to-back points with a block and a kill to put Pima up 21-19. Mesa tied it at 21-21 but the Aztecs took back the lead with a kill by sophomore Isabel Hansen (Rincon HS). The Thunderbirds tied it again at 23-23 and the teams traded points. There were six ties during that stretch and the Aztecs held set-point on two occasions but couldn't close it out.
• There were two ties early in the third set, but Mesa held the lead and put the Aztecs in a 2-1 hole.
• In the fourth set, the Aztecs held a 10-6 advantage and sophomore Haley Duncan (Walden Grove HS) gave the Aztecs their biggest lead of the set after she had three straight kills to put them up 13-7. With the score knotted at 17-17, the Thunderbirds scored four straight points; which included two aces to take the lead for good. The Aztecs cut the deficit down to two points at 22-20 but couldn't get closer.
• Duncan finished with nine kills; she had five alone in the fourth set. Almaguer and freshman Sasha Ross (Canyon del Oro HS) each closed out the match with five kills and five digs. Freshman Morgan Hains (Canyon del Oro HS) had 21 digs and sophomore Isabella Jacome posted 26 assists and six digs.

The Aztecs will return to the West Campus Aztec Gymnasium on Friday when they host Phoenix College. The match begins at 7:00 p.m.