Volleyball stumbles late in 3-2 road loss to Eastern Arizona

YUMA, Ariz. – The Arizona Western Matadors Volleyball team (9-5, 2-1) let a lead slip away in a 3-2 loss to Eastern Arizona (11-7, 3-0) on Friday night at Guitteau Gym in Thatcher, Ariz., losing the final three sets.

Natalia Valencia-Gamboa had a team-best 12 kills while Larryn-Joseph Rodriguez finished with nine.

Eastern Arizona took an early lead in the first set, scoring eight of the first 12 points. Trailing 11-9, Arizona Western went on a 5-1 scoring run to grab a 14-12 lead. The teams went back and forth with the Gila Monsters taking a 21-20 lead late, forcing an Arizona Western timeout. The Matadors outscored the Gila Monsters 5-1 out of the timeout to take the first set 25-22.

The Gila Monsters started the second set by scoring the first five points before the Matadors would crawl back into the set, eventually grabbing a 13-12 lead. The teams traded leads before the Matadors took the lead for good at 24-23 on an Esther Asiedu block and picked up the win in the second set on another Asiedu block, taking the set 25-23.

Eastern Arizona jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the third set before the Matadors stopped the run. The Gila Monsters opened up an 18-1 lead and ran away with the third set 25-8 to cut the Matadors' lead in the match to 2-1. Eastern Arizona continued the momentum into the fourth set, putting together a 10-point lead at 18-8. With Arizona Western trailing 24-11, the Matadors rattled off four straight points to pull within nine points before Eastern Arizona finished off the set 25-25, evening the match at 2-2.

Eastern Arizona took an early lead in the fifth and decisive set before the Matadors tried the set up at 5-5 on a Joseph-Rodrigues kill. The Gila Monsters scored three straight points, but the Matadors went on a 4-0 scoring run to go up 9-8. Eastern Arizona was able to outlast the Matadors, taking the final set 15-13.

Both Ma'o Lauhingoa and Nehir Erimez had 13 digs in the loss with Erimez recording a double-double with 30 assists.

The Matadors finish the road trip to Thatcher, Ariz., tomorrow morning, taking on the No. 22 ranked team in NJCAA DII, Pima, at 11:00 am at Guitteau Gym.