SURPRISE, Ariz. - Park University Gilbert got back to the .500 mark with a pair of wins this week, beating the University of Saint Katherine and Ottawa University Arizona in straight sets, improving to 8-8 with another match left on the weekly calendar, Friday night at SAGU-American Indian.
PARK U GILBERT 3, USK 0 (25-15,25-21,25-18)
All six Buccaneers in the starting lineup registered at least three kills and Jenifer Lauer had a 13-assist, nine-dig night from the setting position, as Park U Gilbert had to register come-from-behind wins in the first and second before leading wire-to-wire in the third.
Park U Gilbert overcame a 4-0 deficit in the first and trailed 7-0 in the second, coming back to win 25-15, 25-21, but in the third, the Buccaneers allowed just two ties and never trailed, using a big run to build a 17-10 lead on a kill by Mackenzie Seitz.
The Buccaneers held USK to negative hitting in the win and USK didn't register a block in the match.
PARK U GILBERT 3, OUAZ 0 (29-27,25-22,25-16)
The Buccaneers out-hit the Spirit by more than .100 points and Park U Gilbert had double digit efforts from Autumn Wood (13 kills, 16 digs) and Asha Harris, an OUAZ transfer who finished with 10 kills on the way to a second-straight sweep to get back to .500 on the year.
Bella Valdez got the start at the setting position and also recorded a double-double, with 13 assists and 11 digs, while Harris led the Bucs at the net, in on four of the team's 11 blocks.
The Buccaneers were down five late in the first set but came back to erase a 17-12 OUAZ lead, going in front 21-19 on back-to-back Harris kills that capped a 9-2 run. Tied at 27, Kendra Zuckerman connected on a kill to make it 28-27, and the Bucs got the set's final point on an OUAZ error.
Momentum continued in a close second set, as OUAZ led 22-20 late before a 5-0 set-ending run for the Buccaneers, beginning with a kill by Kayla Wieserman before Zuckerman took over, getting the final four points, all on kills and all assisted by Jenifer Lauer to win 25-22.
Wood keyed a 5-0 run to begin the third and the Bucs didn't trail, going on to win the set and match, 25-16.
UP NEXT
The Buccaneers travel to SAGU-American Indian Friday night, Sept. 20, at 6 p.m.
