Benedictine Mesa Women's Volleyball defeated OUAZ in the GSAC Conference Semifinals in four sets, with final scores of 20-25, 25-18, 25-19, and 25-16.
In a hard-fought first set, Benedictine Mesa started strong as Railey Druxman and Gracelynn Nez quickly put points on the board. Supported by solid plays from Vivianna Galvan and kills from Kylie Bartel, Benedictine kept pace with OUAZ, despite early service aces from the opposition. Galvan, Bartel, and Hailey White each contributed kills, and Annika Wallace hit her 2,000-career assist milestone in this set. However, OUAZ's offense, led by Lauren Wamsley and key blocks from Jaelah Curtis and Kaitlin Brown, ultimately clinched the set for OUAZ, 25-20.
Benedictine turned up the pressure in the second set, overcoming an early three-point deficit with well-executed plays. Key kills from Bartel and Nez, along with excellent sets from Galvan and great defense from Hattie Patton, helped Benedictine gain momentum. Service pressure from Druxman and solid blocks by Nez and White disrupted OUAZ's rhythm, forcing multiple timeouts as Benedictine built a commanding lead. Wallace's setting remained crucial late in the set, and with kills from Bartel, White, and Jewel Carling, Benedictine secured a 25-18 victory to tie the match.
The third set was marked by Benedictine's resilience and strong teamwork, culminating in a 25-19 win. Druxman and Bartel set the tone early with key kills, while Galvan's consistent setups helped Benedictine build momentum. A service ace by Bartel and kills from White and Amanda Klotz forced OUAZ to call two timeouts in an attempt to regroup. Despite a late push from OUAZ, Benedictine held their lead, with Druxman delivering the final kills to seal the set.
In the fourth set, Benedictine seized control early and maintained their lead to secure a 25-16 win. Galvan drove the offense with precise assists to Nez, Klotz, and White. Benedictine quickly built a 6-1 advantage, forcing an OUAZ timeout, and maintained their edge with effective blocking from the whole front row as well as timely kills from Druxman and Bartel. A final surge of blocks and kills closed out the set, sending Benedictine to the GSAC Championship.
Key Players:
Looking Ahead:Â The Redhawks advance to the GSAC Conference Championship in Santa Clarita, where they will face The Master's on Saturday, November 16th.
