Cavan Malayter is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Horizon Honors for AZPreps365.com

The bittersweet tears that were released by all involved parties during the Horizon Honors senior night presentations did not last long. 

As the No. 1 ranked team in 2A, Horizon Honors defeated Santa Cruz Valley in straight sets (25-9, 25-8, 25-19). 

The win improved Horizon Honors to a record of 25-9 while the loss sent Santa Cruz Valley to 5-12, with both records including their tournament wins and losses. 

“Very proud of them,” Horizon Honors head coach Amanda Bors said of her seniors. “They've put in a lot of blood, sweat, and tears throughout the years. And they came out and they did their job [tonight].”

Bors intentionally started the six rostered seniors, and they did not disappoint. The Eagles jumped out of the gates and took a commanding 10-2 lead to start the first set, with senior opposite hitter Aubrey Harbertson racking up three kills during that run. 

As the set progressed, Horizon Honors got solid production from middle blocker Jade Collins. Her three kills and three aces in the first frame added to the Eagle lead and helped put the set away after 14 minutes of action. 

Collins, one of the honored seniors, came into the match leading the team in kills, hitting percentage, and blocks. Bors spoke on how Collins’ success is so much sweeter because she’s “had to overcome so many injuries in the past.” 

Of those three first-set kills for Collins, two of them could be credited to great passing from fellow senior Allyssa Gauer. 

Gauer, who entered the match as the program’s all-time assist leader, was also eyeing another program record entering the match: most aces in a single season (81). Throughout the start of the second set, she looked well on her way to making history. 

After Horizon Honors grabbed the first point in the second set on a Collins kill down the middle of the court, Gauer went back to serve. 

The setter rattled off four straight aces before Horizon Honors won a point off of four touches from Santa Cruz Valley then proceeded to record four more aces, making the score 10-0 Horizon Honors. 

Gauer credits her success in the second to the fans who packed the Eagles Nest.

“Honestly, I heard people shouting my name,” Gauer said. “And [I thought] I can’t disappoint them. I had family here and the joke [with them] is that I haven't been jump serving because it's super inconsistent. So I was like, it's my senior night. I'm gonna break it out.”

The jump serves worked, as Gauer’s eight aces in that set tied the record.

“That's just something that she's worked very hard on,” Bors said. “To master that float serve, she’s good at it, and she really wanted to break that record.”

Although the third set didn’t go as smoothly as the first two, Santa Cruz Valley led at one point by a score of 9-3. The Horizon Honors bench rallied and went on a 22-10 run to close out the third set and the match. 

The sparks of life from the Dust Devils in the third set made head coach Leticia Tarango proud of her team’s ability to improve in-match.

“That third set was better,” Tarango said. “They kept movement, transitioning, footwork, and calling the ball. I think we will be working more on that [during] the offseason and be ready for next year.”

Both sides have one match remaining in the regular season, both being played on Oct. 27. Santa Cruz Valley will be off to Chandler Prep, while Horizon Honors will head south to Tucson to take on St. Augustine.