Mesquite's girls volleyball team picked up a lot of experience last weekend and were quite adept at a game pace in winning the Snowflake Invitational.

The overall qualify of the opponents isn't what the Wildcats see at the 5A level, but it gave them a couple days to work on the way coach Carlos Flys believes they have to play to be successful.

"We're going to be smaller than most everyone we play so I want us to play at a frantic pace, Flys said. "Chaos." Mesquite has no player six feet or taller.

That style worked well Thursday night in time for Mesquite's 5A San Tan Region opener with Queen Creek as the Wildcats posted a 25-15, 23-25, 25-17, 26-24 victory over the Bulldogs at Mesquite.

The win improved Mesquite to 14-2 overall and 7-2 in power-ranking matches. Power-ranking matches remain key, but the back door for any team to postseason if needed is winning a region title. The Wildcats are 1-0 in that domain.

Mesquite was balanced on the attack in this one with senior Jordan Schumacher leading the way with 17 kills. Next were senior Joliana Sadler (11), senior Kiley Tonge (10) and Lauren Lapiinski and Haley Fitzgerald six kills each. Libero Tatum Falls had 27 digs and seven assists.

Queen Creek fell to 17-8 overall, 5-4 in power-ranking matches and 1-1 in the region. The Bulldogs have played a very tough schedule that's included power-ranking matches with Sunnyslope, Notre Dame, Verrado, Basha and Mesquite.

The Bulldogs  played two matches this week and several last weekend in an invitational without one of their top players and leading hitter -- 6-foot-1 opposite Kate Grimmer. Grimmer was on the bench with a bandaged ankle. Queen Creek's attack got going after the first set and was led by 6-1 freshman Jaelyn Hodge with 15 kills. Laney Mahaffey added 10 kills and 6-2 Claudia Wilson had eight.

Mesquite took off mid-first set erasing a 12-7 deficit en route to a runaway triumph. Queen Creek was its own worst enemy in the set with at least 10 errors covering helping an 18-3 run. 

Queen Creek settled down in the second set, but still was down 22-17 late. A 7-0 run put the Bulldogs back in front and eventually won them the set. The rally was due in great part to Mahaffey, who serverd six straight points and Hodge with a trio of late kills.

Mesquite had an easty time in the third set and never trailed. The fourth was tight throughout, but the key final points came from three Lipinski kills and one from Schumacher. The match ended on a service error.