One day after making history by becoming the first Park University Gilbert program to enter the NAIA rankings, the newly-minted tenth best team in the country picked up another statement win, 3-2, over Benedictine Mesa. 

 

The Buccaneers' win marked their final regular season, conference match and extended their Cal Pac win streak to six matches. At 6-1, they will finish the season with the conference's second best record. 

 

The final score might imply a back-and-forth affair, but the Redhawks' two wins came after the Buccaneers had already clinched the match. Fittingly, Giuliana Kala'l Irvine and Haylee Kroczynski (No. 4) started the day with a 2-0 win on Irvine's senior day. Then, the freshman pair of Annika Wallace and Megan Hicks (No. 2) fought back to win after dropping the first set. 

 

The match was clinched by the Buccaneers' captains and No. 1's, Miranda Bacon and Jenifer Lauer, who pulled off a dominant 2-0 win in which they held their opponents to just eight and 12 points.

 

The Buccaneers now boast a 9-5 overall record with one non-conference match remaining before the conference tournament.

 

What's Next: The Buccaneers play No. 3 Ottawa (Ariz.) on April 1st and 2nd; the first match is an exhibition and the second is countable. Both meetings are scheduled for 10 a.m. at Scottsdale Ranch Park and a win could do wonders for the Buccaneers' spot in the national rankings.

 

Park University Gilbert vs. Benedictine Mesa, 10 a.m.

1. Miranda Bacon/Jenifer Lauer (PARK) Def. Juliana Montes/Christina Sanchez (BENU), 2-0 (21-8, 21-12)

2. Annika Wallace/Megan Hicks (PARK) Def. Kylie Bartel/Annabelle Somoza (BENU), 2-1 (10-21, 21-16, 15-9)

3. Brianna Rivera/Haley Rivera (BENU) Def. Georgia Romine-Black/Grace Hughes (PARK), 2-0 (21-16, 21-13)

4. Giuliana Kala'l Irvine/Haylee Kroczynski (PARK) Def. Courtney Eli/Isabel Ponce (BENU), 2-0 (21-10, 21-14)

5. Paige Padilla/Violeti Faleumu (BENU) Def. Jasmine Urban/Jessi Medlin (PARK), 2-1 (17-21, 21-14, 12-15).