MHS volleyball team shows improvement in loss to Apache Junction

Thursday night’s non-region volleyball match between Maricopa and Apache Junction was one that left both teams feeling optimistic.

While the visiting Prospectors posted a 25-15, 25-16, 25-16 victory, coach Julia Jefferson’s Rams were encouraged by the way they competed against an Apache Junction squad that has its sights set on a return trip to the Class 4A-I state tournament.

“They (Apache Junction) ran a faster offense than what the girls are accustomed to, but we held in there,” Jefferson said. “We definitely did not give up. Our height was definitely a big factor in this, stopping a lot of those shots in the front row. Defensively we did great. Offense is where we need to work.”

Maricopa juniors Julia Dickerson and Cori Teller both said that the Rams showed significant improvement from their season-opening loss at Buckeye Youngker on Tuesday.

“I felt that we need to still work on our transition,” Dickerson said. “But we played a lot better than our first game (a 25-17, 25-11, 25-19 loss to the Youngker Rough Riders).”

“I think we were a lot more aggressive this game, and we’ve gotten a lot better through practice,” said Teller.

With conference action in the Class 4A-II East Sky Region beginning next week for the Rams (0-2), the non-region match against Apache Junction served as a measuring stick.

“It’s definitely a good building block,” Jefferson said. “It shows us where our strengths and weaknesses are – how we compare, what we need to work on, as well as giving the girls confidence.”

“It gives us an edge to do better,” said Teller.

Senior hitter Beth Liddell led Maricopa with six kills and two blocks, while Dickerson had four kills and a block. Defensively, junior Madalina Cutajar excelled for the Rams, providing several digs to keep the ball in play. “She kept us in that game,” Jefferson said.

Apache Junction coach Mandy Gamboa said she was “totally and completely” pleased with how her team played. “You’re always happy whenever you win,” Gamboa said. “This match gave both teams the opportunity to kind of see what they need to work on.”

Alexa Jimenez led Apache Junction (2-0) with seven kills and 12 blocks. “Alexa really stepped up tonight,” Gamboa said about the junior middle blocker.

In the first game, the Prospectors scored six of the final seven points to win by 10 at 25-15.

Strong play at the net by Jimenez helped Apache Junction build an 11-3 lead in the second game, but Maricopa rallied to pull within 16-12. With the Rams still hanging in close at 20-15, the Prospectors tallied five of the last six points to win 25-16.

Apache Junction led throughout the third game, racing out to a 14-5 advantage before Maricopa reduced the margin to 21-15. Again, the Prospectors finished strong, scoring four of the final five points to win 25-16.

Gamboa and the Prospectors came away impressed with the determination exhibited by the Rams.

“They’re making great strides,” Gamboa said. “The girls hustled, and they were very respectful.”

Jefferson agreed that the Rams are making progress.

“I am definitely pleased,” the Maricopa first-year head coach said. “Today’s game went much better than Tuesday’s. We’re moving in the right direction. Things are starting to come together. Like we said at the beginning, it’s a learning process. They are learning a whole new way of play, a whole new style, and it’s fundamentals, piece by piece, bringing it all together.”

Maricopa will play a non-region match at home on Tuesday against Tempe McClintock before beginning East Sky Region competition at Gilbert Higley on Wednesday and at Scottsdale Coronado on Thursday.

Photo by Tom Kessler