Nick Hogan is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication student assigned to cover Mountain Pointe High School for AZPreps365.com

PHOENIX-- Only 3.8 miles separate the Ahwatukee section's rival high schools, Mountain Pointe and Desert Vista. However, its two volleyball squads could not have been farther apart Thursday evening. 

Mountain Pointe (0-8) hosted the latest episode of Ahwatukee’s premier rivalry, but ultimately was unable to defend its home court, losing in three quick sets to Desert Vista (5-3). 

The atmosphere in the gym was so tense you could cut cut it with a knife. Only one play into the match someone barked, “Can we get a new ref?" Snide remarks were as common as digs and kills, everything from officiating to mask mandates being part of the bleacher discourse. Tensions ran high in this rivalry match.

Adding fuel to the rivalry in 2021? The exodus of former Mountain Pointe freshman coach Audra Slemmer to Desert Vista, who is now its varsity coach. Slemmer is a Mountain Pointe alumna who excelled at Grand Canyon University. As Slemmer swapped out her maroon for blue, she suddenly found herself on the winning end of the rivalry and coaching alongside another Mountain Pointe graduate, Chandler Hillman.

“It’s great, I love it regardless if she’s at the rival school,” Thunder coach Justine Ackie, a Mountain Pointe grad herself, said. “It’s nice to still see a lot of my former teammates.”

Luckily for the Pride, Ackie brings a massive amount of experience to the program for a first-year head coach. Ackie is a successful Mountain Pointe graduate herself, having led the Pride to multiple runs in the state playoffs during her tenure as a player before competing collegiately at Chadron State. 

“It’s nostalgic to be back,” Ackie said. “I just want to get that program back to where it was when I was here.” 

The Pride’s first two sets were disappointing, with the Thunder trampling them by a combined score of 50-17. The air was sucked out of the gym as Thunder senior outside hitter Kylie Moran delivered multiple vicious spikes. 

Senior captain and outside hitter Alyssa Groves was a bright spot for the Pride, as she tallied five kills and nine digs on the night. Nevertheless, the Thunder had all the momentum entering the third set.  

In the swift three minute break between the second and third set, everything changed. Mountain Pointe stepped on the court with a passion and energy that was non-existent in the first two sets. It was as if an entirely different team showed up to play the third set. 

Mountain Pointe players and coaches huddle up during its game against Desert Vista on Thursday (Nick Hogan/AZPreps365)“We talked in our huddle and had a little pow-wow," Ackie said. "And that got their energy back up and that obviously changed their mindset a lot more,” . 

The Pride did not go down without a fight, making the Thunder earn every single point. The Pride broke out to a 9-8 lead but ultimately came up short down the stretch, eventually dropping the third set, 25-17. 

“I think we did a complete 180,” senior setter Madison Bratlie said. “In the third set we were like well, we might as well just go out and play our game and try our best and whatever happens, happens.”

If Mountain Pointe could have started the match the way it finished, the outcome might have been different. The Ahwatukee rivals will next meet at Desert Vista on October 14. A future victory over Desert Vista may be the only thing that can rid the bitter taste of Thursday’s loss for Mountain Pointe. 

Although it's very disappointing to be on the losing end of a rivalry, the Pride were able to keep a positive perspective about the sour loss. 

“We’re a developing program, we’ve gone through a lot of coaches,” junior middle hitter Ashley Brooke said. “Sometimes it’s going to be rough but we do try.”Adversity is nothing new for Mountain Pointe volleyball as the squad finished (0-8) in region last season and remains winless in this season (0-9) outside of invitational tournaments.

Ackie is tasked with piecing what was once a great program back together. The task will surely be difficult, but not impossible. With an emphasis on passion and heart, there’s no telling how the program may evolve over the following weeks, months and years. Rome was not built in a day, nor will a dominant volleyball program be built that quick. 

“We just have to put all of the pieces together,” Ackie said. 

The Pride will look to put one more piece of the puzzle back together next Tuesday, September 28 when they host Desert Ridge.