Mingus Union High School’s volleyball team’s defensive struggles led to a 3-0 [12-25, 14-25, 13-25] loss to visiting Flagstaff High School in its first home Grand Canyon Region match of the season.
The Marauders [1-4, 0-2] gave up double-digit service aces and were always on their heels against the Eagles [4-1, 1-0].
“I don’t know what team was playing today but they definitely weren’t my girls,” Mingus head coach Chelsea Chavez said. “Our base and release, we struggled with defense today. They got us out of system and we couldn’t get back into system.”
Heading into the match Flagstaff junior middle blocker Tara Brain, who stands at 6-foot, 1-inch, was the Eagles’ kill leader and a concern for the Marauders. But strong serving and outside hitting did the damage, hardly allowing the hosts to make a good pass to their setters to initiate a good attack.
Mingus started game one up 2-1 after kills by junior outside hitter Lindsey Jones and senior opposite Katelyn Prouty. Then an 8-0 run by the Eagles, fueled by three straight aces for junior defensive specialist Jasmine Berry, turned the tables.
Marauders senior outside hitter Nikki Zielinski broke the run with a kill and the hosts got to within 7-11. But, as it would be throughout the match, once Flagstaff gained serve it hardly let it go.
Flagstaff took game one 25-12.
Mingus regrouped and took a 5-1 lead to open game two. Jones had three services aces of her own on top of a kill by junior middle hitter Kaitlyn Card. Then nine unanswered Eagle points forced a Marauders timeout.
Flagstaff’s strong outside hitting showed in games two and three, with senior outside hitter Lydia Miller effectively turning the ball down the line and beating the Mingus block.
Mingus’ block eventually began to produce, killing Eagles overpasses, and the Marauders setters and outside hitters were digging attacks.
“My setter started to dig the ball. And we’ve been struggling with that, right side, digging those line shots and she was getting a couple up,” Chavez said. “There were some good things happening, just not all the time. And that’s what I needed to happen.”
Berry hit another service ace to set up game point, and the Eagles put Mingus on the brink of a sweep.
For the third time Mingus started on the right foot to open the game, going up 3-0 behind a Jones kill, Flagstaff hitting error and a Card tip. For the third time the Eagles pulled off a run, going up 3-5 and then 4-10, after a Mingus timeout.
This time the Marauders had a run of their own, making it 13-15; another trio of service aces the catalyst, this time by senior opposite Lindsey Meyers.
Meyers’ final ace would be the Marauders’ final point, and Flagstaff ended the match killing a Mingus overpass.
Chavez said that defense would be the team’s focus over the next two days’ practices.
Mingus traveled to the Wolves’ Classic on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 15 and 16, and hosted Bradshaw Mountain High School on Tuesday, Sept. 19, but results were unavailable at press time.
