The Benedictine Mesa Men's Volleyball Team secured a 3-1 victory over Park Gilbert on Wednesday evening. The Redhawks won the match with set scores of 25-22, 25-21, 11-25, and 25-15.
Set 1:
Benedictine took a hard-fought 25-22 win in the opening set, led by key performances from Dapre Rogers and Landon Fuller. Park Gilbert started strong with a service ace from Jonah Baich and a block by Xander Thesz, jumping to a 5-2 lead. However, Benedictine quickly responded with a service ace from John Jakaitis and crucial kills from Rogers and Fuller, tying the score at 7-7.
A 5-1 run featuring kills from Trevor Weinert and Daniel Compton helped Benedictine take control. Park Gilbert fought back late, closing the gap to 23-21, but a service error by Dominic Smith set up match point. A block from Jakaitis and Josh Beymer sealed the set at 25-22.
Set 2:
Benedictine carried their momentum into the second set, earning a 25-21 victory. The teams traded early points before Benedictine capitalized on attack errors by Park Gilbert to take an 8-4 lead.
Despite Park Gilbert's efforts to rally, including blocks from Jake Burdick and Azzlyn Potts, Benedictine remained in control. A dominant stretch saw the Redhawks extend their lead to 15-10, fueled by kills from Daniel Compton and strong defensive efforts from Jakaitis and Weinert.
Park Gilbert attempted a late comeback, but Benedictine closed out the set with a block from Travis Kelly and Jayden Rodriguez, securing a 2-0 lead in the match.
Set 3:
Park Gilbert stormed back in the third set, capitalizing on Benedictine's struggles to win 25-11. After an early 4-4 tie, Park Gilbert took control, forcing multiple errors and building a 10-6 lead. Despite kills from Weinert and Jacob Saechao, Benedictine couldn't regain momentum. A service ace from Smith sealed the dominant set win for Park Gilbert, forcing the Redhawks to regroup.
Set 4:
Determined to finish strong, Benedictine dominated the fourth set with a 25-15 victory. Early kills from Compton and Rogers, along with a block by Fuller, gave the Redhawks a 5-2 lead. Park Gilbert's unforced errors continued to add up, allowing Benedictine to extend their advantage.
Midway through the set, Rogers and Jakaitis connected on multiple kills, widening the gap to 15-7. Despite a late push from Park Gilbert, Benedictine remained in control. Fuller and Weinert delivered key kills, and Compton sealed the win with a final kill off another Jakaitis assist.
Key Players
Looking Ahead
The Redhawks return to action on Wednesday, March 19, as they head to Arizona Christian.
