The Park University Gilbert volleyball team made quick work of the Simpson Redhawks 3-0 (25-23, 25-10, 25-10) at the Arizona Region Volleyball Facility this evening. The Buccaneers (10-5, 9-2 Cal Pac) dominated the Redhawks (5-12, 4-6) after a tight first set allowing fewer points in sets two and three then they did in the opening frame.
"When we control our side of the net, we can be a pretty good team," said Buccaneers Head Coach Clay Webb. "But we now have to get ready for a very talented UC Merced team who played us tough last year."
The first set was tight, with each team holding the lead multiple times. No team had more than a one-point lead until the Bucs jumped to a 18-16 lead late in the set. Even then, the Bucs could never extend the lead beyond two points, but that was good enough to take the first stanza 25-23. This would be the closest the Redhawks would be for the remainder of the match.
Sets two and three saw a combination of solid serving, crisp passing, and ferocious attacks to overwhelm the Redhawks as they closed things out allowing only 20 points to their opposition over the last two sets.
In set two, the Bucs jumped out to leads of 4-0 and 10-2 in set two and never looked back as they out hit the Redhawks 11 kills to four and forced 10 errors from Simpson. Set three was more of the same as Park Gilbert out killed the Simpson 12-5 and forced the Redhawks into a negative attack percentage for the second set in a row. The end result? Two 25-10 sets and a quick end to a match which looked as though it could be close early.
Makenna Busse was an unstoppable force for the Bucs leading the team in kills for the first time in her career with 10 kills. Busse did not make an error and hit .625 which is her second highest hitting percentage in her career (.714). She also was in on seven blocks. Amanda Jonovich added nine kills with only one error and hit .381. Elizabeth Clemit also had an outstanding night with six kills and only one error.
As a team, the Bucs had 38 kills and only 10 errors on the night. Half of those errors came in set one. Defensively, the Buccaneers posted 20 blocks, and libero Hattie Patton had over half of the Bucs digs with 15 of the Bucs 28 digs on the night.
Setters Annika Wallace and Melissa Blockey almost split the assists totals 50/50 as Wallace posted 17 assists and Blockey had 16.
The Buccaneers finish the week tomorrow night as they take on UC Merced at 6 p.m. at the Arizona Region Volleyball Facility. The Buccaneers swept the Bobcats last year in three matches at UC Merced. Winning two matches in four sets and one in five. Bacon had 44 kills in those three matches to lead the Bucs offensively, but Busse, Amanda Jonovich and Kayla Wieserman either led the Bucs or posted one of their best offensive matches of the season against Bobcats.
