Hayden Cilley is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Deer Valley High School for AZPreps365.com

GLENDALE-- The Deer Valley Skyhawks looked to extend their winning streak to three matches in a 4A conference battle with longtime rival Greenway High.

The early offensive prowess by the Skyhawks set the tone for the game. It was a back-and-forth battle but Deer Valley showed its talent, winning the first two sets, 25-22 and 25-23.

The third set wasn’t close at all, as the Demons recovered to win 25-18. It appeared as if Deer Valley was out of gas but came out with a vengeance in the final set, winning 25-19.

Deer Valley came into the match having won two straight and captured a third thanks to strong leadership and smart play.

“Our team is so composed and knows how to get the job done,” Deer Valley volleyball coach Jackie Wallace said. “Sam [Gloria] was huge tonight and was the reason we got the victory.”

Gloria showed out with 22 kills and continously showed her dominance on every single possession.

It wasn’t just Gloria who killed it. The junior had some assistance from 2020-21 all-region outside hitter Liz Rupp, offering 13 kills and 19 digs.

"Liz set the tone for us early," Wallace said. "She was able to get the team going and then everyone took off."

Players like Amanda Hardt and Lola Duvey contributed mightly as well. Hardt had seven aces and Duvey had 19 digs in the tightly fought contest.

The main weakness for the Skyhawks was with blocks: they only registered two of them throughout the whole match.

“It’s an area where we need some work,” Wallace said. “Greenway is a terrific team and I’m so glad we were able to pull away with the victory.”

Deer Valley (3-1) is preparing for the Tournament of Champions on Friday and Saturday. The Skyhawks will have their sternest test of this young season when they meet the 2020-21 4A Desert Sky Region champions, Seton Catholic High School, on Tuesday.