The girls volleyball team swept the Aragon Dons in three sets, 25-20, 25-17, 25-21, on Thursday night.
The Bears started off slow and initially tied at 6-6. However, a series of impressive digs from senior Kiela King and aggressive offense from senior Duru Rucan allowed M-A to build up a 17-14 lead.
A jaw-dropping kill from junior Kayla Greenbaum kept the Bears’ energy high. Senior Ava Chansari’s incredible service run left the Dons in the dust with a score of 22-15. Despite some offensive pressure from Aragon, the Bears clinched the first set 25-20.
“Our game plan was to make them move on defense, so we threw in a lot of roll-shots and tips,” King said. This game plan proved undoubtedly successful with the Bears dominating the second set by forcing errors on the Dons’ side.
Seniors Sarah Littlefield and Sienna Morales consistently ruled the net, creating a massive lead of 23-13 for the Bears. The Dons were able to push back with some defensive play, but senior Daniela Eline crushed any hope of victory with two phenomenal kills, ending the second set 25-17.
The Bears hit the ground running to start off the third set. Eline continued to kill the ball on offense, and an extraordinary block from Greenbaum put the Bears up 12-6.
“I think we did well, but there were definitely some times where our energy dropped and we let them back in the game,” Ruacan said. The Bears’ decline in stamina was evident in the third set when Aragon quickly crept up on M-A’s 21-12 lead, closing in to make the score 24-21.
After a strategic timeout from M-A, the Bears were able to pull their game together and finish the set strong with a score of 25-21.
“They did very well at setting their right-sides and remained pretty consistent for the entire game,” Chansari said, referring to the impressive hits on the Dons’ end during the third set, allowing for their comeback.
“I think our team chemistry makes us a very special team because we all are close and aren’t awkward with each other, so our communication is very good,” Ruacan said.
The Bears will move on to challenge the Sequoia Ravens away on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
