Volleyball fights off Coyotes for 3-2 win

YUMA, Ariz. – Amanda Juliao and Ma'o Lauhingoa combined for 33 kills to help Arizona Western Lady Matadors' Volleyball (7-2, 2-0) to a 3-2 win over Chandler-Gilbert (3-2, 1-1) in ACCAC play on Wednesday night at the Coyote Center.

Juliao led the way for the Lady Matadors, recording 17 kills and finishing second on the team with 12 digs while Lauhingoa added 16 kills.

The Lady Matadors trailed 5-3 in the first set before a pair of Chandler-Gilbert attacking errors tied the set at 5-5, kickstarting a 4-0 run that led to a Lady Matadors' 7-5 lead. Arizona Western led the remainder of the set and Lauhingoa put the set away with a kill to give the Lady Matadors a 25-21 first-set win.

Another early run helped the Lady Matadors out to a lead in the second set, scoring five consecutive points to take an 8-3 lead. The Coyotes battled back to score 12 of the next 14 points to build a 15-10 lead before the Lady Matadors were able to stop the run thanks to a Coyotes' attacking error. The Lady Matadors were able to cut the deficit to 18-16 but dropped the set 25-23.

Aly Reeser led the Lady Matadors in digs with 13 while Evelyn Trivino finished one assist shy of tying her career-high with 50.

The Lady Matadors and Coyotes went back and forth in the third set, trading the lead before the Mats put together a 3-0 run to take a 12-10 lead. Alexis Goodman gave the Lady Matadors a 19-17 lead with a kill, helping the Lady Matadors close out the set, outscoring the Coyotes 25-22.

Goodman finished the match with a season-high six kills while tallying four total blocks including one solo block.

After seeing the Lady Matadors take an early lead in the fourth set, Chandler-Gilbert jumped out to an 11-9 lead. The Lady Matadors couldn't get any closer in the fourth, losing the set 25-19 as the Coyotes forced a fifth set.

Arizona Western opened the fifth set by scoring the first four points and jumped out to an 8-3 lead before the teams switched sides. The Lady Matadors would concede just two more points, scoring seven of the next nine points to win the set 15-5, winning the match 3-2.

The Lady Matadors are back in action on Friday, playing a pair of matches in the Dalton Overstreet Invitation in Prescott, Ariz., taking on Copper Mountain at 11:00 am before playing Central Arizona in a non-conference match at 7:00 pm at Walraven Gymnasium.