Similar scenario plays out from 2009

For the second year in a row, Mesa Volleyball enjoyed their best effort of the year on Sophomore/Breast Cancer Awareness Night.  The Mesa ladies were dressed in pink for the cause and were looking to finish their 2010 season off with a victory.

The ladies trumped the Pima Lady Aztecs' 2-0 set lead with a spirited 3-2 victory in five sets on Friday night, October 29.  Mesa fell behind in match losing the first two sets 17-25, 16-25.  The match was looking all too familiar for Mesa, but this one would be different.

“It’s been a rough season for sure,” coach Brent Martindale said.  “The girls have worked hard and made progress, but they want to see that progress turn into wins.”

The T-Birds found themselves down early in the third set and just as they rallied to support Breast Cancer Awareness that night, they rallied to finish their season off with a victory.  The set went back and forth with each team having multiple chances to finish it off.  Mesa finally prevailed in extra points taking it 29-27.

“On Friday we finally showed that extra amount of heart that had been missing in earlier games,” coach Martindale said.  “They had the mindset of refusing to lose, and that sense of desperation I have seen in moments this season.  We made too many errors early in the match, but turned it on late and started playing better defense which kick started our offense, and shook Pima’s confidence.”

In game four it took extra points again as the T-Birds won 26-24.  In set number five the pressure was on as the Lady Thunderbirds did not want to spoil their comeback efforts.  It looked bleak early as Mesa fell behind in the shortened set to 15.  But just as they had all night, they rallied as a team and mounted a final surging comeback to take it 15-10.  The Mesa bench swarmed the court when the 15th point was tallied and it was pure jubilation on the faces of the Lady T-Birds.

The ladies could have easily quit in that third set, but it says a lot about first-year coach Brent Martindale and his team as they refused to give up.

“I was very happy to end the season with some success,” Martindale said.  “I am especially happy our sophomores ended their time at Mesa with a win.”

PICTURES FROM THE PIMA GAME - 10.29.10