MV advances to semis, Mustangs to play No. 2 Snowflake

MESA, Ariz.

It’s been nine years since the Monument Valley Lady Mustangs played in a final four round in the Arizona state volleyball playoffs.

On Saturday night, the second-seeded MV squad erased some early-round heartbreaks of recent years by downing Queen Creek Benjamin Franklin in four sets at Mesa High School in the 3A state quarterfinals.

The set scores were 26-24, 18-25, 25-16 and 25-22. This is the first set MV had lost in 10 matches dating back to Oct. 7.

“The last time we got here was in 2014 when we won the state championship,” MV coach Rennell Gilmore said. “We set some early season goals, and we knew what we wanted to achieve and props to Benjamin Franklin because they did test us.”

MV’s season record is 17-0.

Sophomore middle hitter Tehya Yazzie was 6 years old when MV won the Division III state title in 2014, which was Gilmore’s second year with the program.

“This is pretty big because the last time we made it this far was in 2014,” Yazzie said. “I went to that game, and I really want to experience what that team experienced.

“Our minds are set on playing in that championship game,” she added. “We’re just really focused on that.”

To reach Friday’s title game, the Mustangs will have to get by the Snowflake Lady Lobos on Tuesday night at Winslow High School. The match is slated for 6 p.m.

The second-seeded Snowflake team swept No. 7 Odyssey Institute 25-10, 25-10 and 25-19 in its quarterfinal game.

“We’re excited that we get to play them,” Gilmore said. “We haven’t played them all season, and we’re looking forward to playing them.”

Gilmore said it was good to face a hard-hitting team like the 11th-seeded Chargers heading into Tuesday’s semifinal match.

“It’s been a while since we’ve had competition like that,” she said. “It’s nice that we could handle it mentally.”

That mental fortitude was evident in the first and fourth sets, with MV narrowly pulling out those wins thanks to some solid hitting from its frontline players and the defensive play of its back-row players.

Junior libero Adriana Dominguez took the brunt of those hits from Benjamin Franklin with her digging prowess.

“I think that I can get to every ball if I just hustle,” Dominguez said. “I just try to do my very best every time and do whatever I can for my teammates.”

Gilmore said her libero was the X-factor in the game.

“Adriana did fabulous tonight,” the MV coach said. “She’s definitely a game changer for us. She’s all over the court, and she loves it. She doesn’t mind taking up every ball even when she beats herself up, she’ll do it.”

Gilmore said it took a team effort to get by Benjamin Franklin, especially in those tight sets.

In the opening set, the Mustangs trailed 23-20 following a service ace by Benjamin Franklin freshman Lexie Kolberg.

A nicely placed dink by junior setter Kaleigh Manygoats gave MV the serve back. On the next point, senior middle blocker Naomi Benally came up with a clean block to tie the match at 23-all.

A net violation by MV gave Benjamin Franklin a chance to take set one, but the Chargers threw in a couple of hitting errors. Another key block by Benally earned MV a 26-24 win.

Benjamin Franklin bounced back in a big way to start the second set, leading 8-1 behind three kills from junior outside hitter Chloe Wright and two service aces by junior setter Karlee Sanders.

The Mustangs didn’t go away as they tied the match at 13-all, with seniors Melanie Kescoli and Kaleilanamaria Maiava combining for five kills in its 12-to-5 rally.

The Chargers regained the momentum on a 5-0 run for an 18-13 cushion. That five-point margin was cut 20-18, but Benjamin Franklin finished the set with three winners to hold off MV.

After taking an 8-2 lead behind a pair of aces from Dominguez, the Mustangs kept Benjamin Franklin at arm’s length the rest of the way, winning 25-16.

In the fourth set, the match featured six ties and three lead changes. Benjamin Franklin took an 18-17 lead with an off-speed hit by senior middle hitter Madison Sanchez, who finished with a match-high 14 kills.

That hit looked like Dominguez picked it up with a pancake, but the game officials ruled that the ball hit the floor before it bounced off the back of her hand.

The Chargers went up 19-17 on a kill by junior outside hitter Bentley Forsgren, but the designated visiting team was whistled for three errors, including two hitting miscues that gave MV the lead for good at 21-20.

The Mustangs closed the match with two service aces while Maiava put down her 10th kill to lead MV.

The Mustangs also got eight kills from Yazzie, while Kescoli finished with seven.

---