Aztecs Volleyball falls to Glendale CC, ending season at Region I Tournament

The Pima Community College volleyball team's season came to a close on Friday in the second day of the NJCAA Region I, Division II Tournament.

• The No. 3 seeded Aztecs claimed the first set but dropped the next three as they fell to No. 4 Glendale Community College in four sets 20-25, 25-23, 25-18, 25-19 in the tournament's first elimination game.
• The Aztecs scored the first five points of the opening set and held a lead throughout. Pima took their biggest lead after back-to-back kills from freshman Haylee Gilleland (Flagstaff HS), and a Glendale shot that sailed out put them up 18-11. The Gauchos cut the lead to two points at 21-19 but freshman Kenna Simon and sophomore Abby Whatton (Canyon del Oro HS) had two straight kills to make it 23-19. The Aztecs took a 1-0 lead in the match three points later.
• The second set featured seven ties as the teams went back and forth to gain the advantage. The Aztecs took a 17-16 after a kill from freshman Taylor Crawford (Ironwood Ridge HS) but the Gauchos went on to score three straight to take the lead back at 19-17. Glendale took a 21-18 lead after an ace, but the Aztecs scored five of the next six points to tie it at 22-22. The Gauchos scored the next two points for set-point. Sophomore Sasha Ross (Canyon del Oro HS) put down a kill to keep Pima alive, but Glendale scored on the next point to tie the match at 1-1.
• The Aztecs would not take a lead for the rest of the match. In the third set, the Aztecs trailed 16-13 but the Gauchos scored five of the next six points to take their biggest lead of the match at 21-14. Crawford and Ross had two straight kills, but the Aztecs could not get any closer as Glendale took a 2-1 lead.
• Pima trailed 12-9 in the fourth set and got a kill from Crawford and an ace from sophomore Jalynn Ransom (Salpointe Catholic HS) to make it a one-point game at 12-11. The Gauchos scored five straight points to make it 17-11. The Aztecs cut the deficit to three points on a couple of occasions; the latest being 22-19 but Glendale secured the final three points to win the match.
• Ross finished with a team-high 15 kills along with three blocks. Whatton closed out the match with eight kills and 20 digs.
• Crawford posted a double-double of 29 assists and 22 digs. She also had six kills and two blocks.
• Sophomore Morgan Hains (Canyon del Oro HS) led the team with 23 digs and also had two aces. Ransom finished with 19 digs and one ace and freshman Jasmin Joseph had 13 digs.

The Aztecs closed out the 2023 season with a 12-18 overall record and 8-8 in ACCAC conference play.