Aztecs Volleyball holds off Chandler-Gilbert rally to secure spot in Region I Playoffs

The Pima Community College volleyball team (10-12, 6-5 in ACCAC) won its third straight match and secured a spot in the Region I, Division II Tournament on Wednesday at Chandler-Gilbert Community College (10-9, 4-7).

• The Aztecs won the first two sets and defeated the Coyotes in four games (25-23, 25-23, 21-25, 25-22).
• The Coyotes took control in the early moments of the first set as Pima trailed 12-6. They kept it close but remained down 19-16 until the Aztecs scored five of the next six points to take a 21-20 lead. Chandler-Gilbert led one more time at 22-21 but the Aztecs stole the first set after scoring four of the final five points to take a 1-0 lead.
• The Aztecs scored the first four points of the second set, but the Coyotes rallied back and took their first lead at 8-7. The Aztecs trailed by a much as five points at 17-13 but would score five of the next six points thanks in part to sophomore Julia Weatherbie's (Mountain View HS) two straight aces as Pima tied it up at 18-18. The Aztecs trailed one more time at 21-20, but a kill by sophomore Maggie McReynolds (Mountain View HS) and an ace by sophomore Julia Ford (Catalina Foothills HS) helped the Aztecs retake the lead at 23-21. The teams exchanged the final points with Pima holding the edge and taking a 2-0 lead.
• The Aztecs scored the first five points and maintained a lead for much of the third set. The Coyotes tied it at 16-16 and led by as much as four points down the stretch to get on the board.
• The fourth set featured 16 ties and eight lead changes as neither team held more than a two-point lead for the first 44 points of the set. The Aztecs took their biggest lead at 24-21 and two points later closed out the match.
• McReynolds led the way with a team-high 12 kills to go with eight digs and three aces. Freshman Alexia Hutchens (Salpointe Catholic HS) and sophomore Kendall Snyder (Canyon del Oro HS) each posted six kills.
• Sophomore Julia Baird closed out the match with five kills, 17 digs and two blocks while Ford posted 16 digs and two aces.
• Weatherbie finished with 19 assists, nine digs and two aces.

The Aztecs close out the regular season on Friday at No. 12 Glendale Community College. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m.