By Ryan Wright

Two of Arizona’s top boys’ volleyball teams battled Monday evening for the second time in ten days, as the Horizon Honors Eagles (17-3) hosted the Seton Catholic Sentinels (34-4).

The Sentinels walked away with a 3-1 victory and are the only team to top the Eagles in their last 11 matches, defeating them twice.

The two teams met on April 16, in the finals of the Notre Dame Invitational Tournament, where Seton Catholic claimed the title with a 2-0 victory.

Seton Catholic senior Noah Williams secured the final point of Monday’s match with the block of an Eagles’ attacker at the net.

Although Horizon Honors would fall short in the second set, Eagles’ senior Joshua Drapkin had perhaps the most clutch moment of the match as he collected two consecutive digs off Seton Catholic attacks, which led to the Eagles tying the score at 23 in the set.

Seton Catholic senior John Engelbert led the way for the Sentinels with 16 kills including six in the opening set victory. A team captain, Engelbert was aggressive from the opening serve and also collected eight digs throughout the match.

Fellow team captain for the Sentinels, senior Tommy Randolph, had 11 kills including six in the fourth and final set.

Not to be outdone, Seton Catholic’s third team captain, senior Andrew Betlach, logged 12 kills, two of them late in the second set, to help secure the set victory.

Horizon Honors junior Trevor Weary led the way for his team with 12 kills, including kills for points No. 24 and 25 of the team’s lone set victory. The 6-foot-7 team captain also finished with four blocks and three digs.

Senior team captain for the Eagles, James Tsai, finished with six kills and four blocks.

Seton Catholic, winners of 30 of their last 31 matches, will look to continue its run when they visit the Maryvale Panthers, while Horizon Honors will attempt to get back on the winning track as they host the McClintock Chargers. Both matches will take place Tuesday evening. 

By Ryan Wright is a sports journalism student.