Volleyball battles back to beat Central 3-1

COOLIDGE, Ariz. -  The No. 20 ranked Arizona Western Lady Matadors (20-6, 10-2) came back after losing the first set to win the final road match of the regular season, beating Central Arizona (4-16, 3-10) 3-1 on Wednesday night.

Gabriela Martensson led the Lady Matadors with 18 kills while Aly Reeser chipped in defensively with a team-best 22 digs in the Lady Matadors' win.

Arizona Western scored four of the first five points to jump out to a 4-1 lead in the first set. With the Lady Matadors leading 5-2, Central Arizona put together a 5-2 scoring run to grab the lead at 7-6 and eventually built a three-point lead at 13-10 before a service error halted a Vaqueras scoring run. With the Lady Matadors trailing 19-17, Central Arizona rattled off three straight points to take a 22-17 lead and scored six of the final 10 points to take the opening set 25-21.

The Lady Matadors and Vaqueras traded points early in the second set before the Lady Matadors opened up a 7-5 lead. Central Arizona scored the next three points to take the lead on a service ace at 8-7. The Lady Matadors grabbed a 17-14 lead thanks to a Central Arizona attacking error and went on to win the set 25-17.

Martensson put together back-to-back service aces to give the Lady Matadors an 8-5 lead early in the third set. Jazmin Cuellar scored the Lady Matadors' 14^th point of the set after Central put together a scoring run and Arizona Western pushed the lead to 14-9. A Central Arizona attacking error gave the Lady Matadors an 18-11 lead before Martensson put together back-to-back kills to extend the lead to 20-11 as the Lady Matadors went on to take the third set 25-17.

Just like in the third set, the fourth set was back and forth at the start with Arizona Western and Central Arizona splitting the first 14 points. Arizona Western found their rhythm midway through the set, using a 6-0 scoring run to grab an 11-7 lead.

Eduarda Santos Freitas de Souza set a season-high with five kills and eight digs and Evelyn Trivino had a double-double with 38 assists and 11 digs in the win.

The Lady Matadors return home on Friday, October 27, hosting Eastern Arizona for Sophomore Night at 7:00 p.m. at the House Gymnasium. Tickets are $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for seniors while Arizona Western College students get in free with their AWC ID.