Aztecs Volleyball rallies from 0-2 deficit to stun No. 15 Mesa CC in a tiebreaker

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.