VB: Highland edges Mesquite in five sets

August 31, 2015 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


 


It wasn't surprising the volleyball wasn't crisp Monday night as Highland and Mesquite high schools opened their 2015 season.

Still, the back and forth of a five-set match kept the crowd's attention. And it took a big effort from Highland's Allyson Eylers in the decisive set to bring the Hawks from behind and to victory over host Mesquite. Scores were 21-25, 25-20, 20-25, 25-19, 15-10.

Both schools qualified for postseason last year -- as No. 15 seeds in Division I (Highland) and Division II (Mesquite). They were eliminated quickly by the likes of Hamilton and Sunnyslope, respectively, both schools that advanced to their division title matches.

"I think you expect not to be sharp in the first match," Mesquite coach Carlos Flys said. "The inconsistency on both sides showed. We graduated five starters so it's going to take some time to figure out who we are we are."

A key player back for Highland with Division I talent, sparked the Hawks' triumph -- senior Allyson Eylers.

Eylers, a University of San Diego commit, showed why in the final set. With her team down 4-1, she responded with three early kills that ultimately got Highland the lead for good at 7-6. Eylers served four successive points midway through the set. Highland closed out the match with three aces near the end -- a facet of their game most of the night that was fraught with errors. Serving the aces were Lexi Roberts with a precision laser down the left baseline and two that closed out the match from Kennedy Erickson. Erickson's match-point ace was a net ace. HIghland had 16 service errors for the match and Mesquite caught that bug as the match progressed with 13 of their own.

"It wasn't polished volleyball," Highland coach Jordan Neal, who made a successful debut as the Hawks' new coach. "(Allyson) turned it on that last set. She's a versatile player and showed that tonight."

Eylers spent half her time on the flloor hitting and the other half getting in some sets, a position she is likely to play at her college destination. Eyler finished with a team-high 12 kills and had 29 sets. Highland got a boost from Tristyn Moser (7 kills) and Erickson, who played well setting for the first time in her career while teammate Katie Shoenwetter is out injured.

Mesquite was led by junior outside Jordan Schumacher (18 kills) and senior opposite Brianna Hawkins (7 kills). Senior libero Makena Smith contributed 26 digs, many of them diifficult chances.

"We have a fairly new team," Flys said. "Ally is an incredible player for them. There's a reason she's going to a Division I program, she showed it. She made a difference."