Alma Pineda is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Cicero Prep for AZPreps365.com.

Fans were on the edge of their seats as the Leading Edge Spartans defeated the Cicero Prep Centurions 3-2 last week.

 Leading Edge won the first set 25-11, but Cicero Prep responded.

“We relaxed, we had fun and we knew we could do it while we focused on the basics,” sophomore Savannah Collings said.

There was back and forth throughout the set but as Collings said, the Centurions stuck to the basics. Cicero Prep won the second set 25-22.

Fans switched from cheering to burying their faces in their hands in the third set. Leading Edge led 25-24. There was constant back and forth for 15 minutes before Leading Edge pulled it out 30-28.

Even though Cicero Prep had a hard time in the beginning, the Centurions persevered and showed up in the fourth set. After Leading Edge took the lead, Cicero Prep coach Cindy Kirk called a timeout.

The players returned to the court with confidence.

Cicero Prep took the lead. The gym was never quiet as fans had been screaming from pure excitement. After winning the fourth set 25-14 to tie the match, players on the bench ran onto the court to hug teammates.

Kirk was anxious for the fifth set because she had to keep serving another girl since her main server had gotten injured. Cicero Prep started strong but then let up. The score went back and forth before Leading Edge pulled it out.

“Evidently, it went right down to the wire,'' Kirk said. "They just had a few balls go their way at the end, we didn’t. We have to dust it off and come back and try to do it again."