Noah Sasaki is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover San Tan Charter High School for AZPreps365.com

GILBERT – A strong team effort proved to be the difference as San Tan Charter (3-2, 2-1) swept Highland Prep (0-3, 0-3) in a girls volleyball match at home Tuesday night.

“I feel like we did really good with our teamwork,” sophomore outside hitter Peyton Schwinden said. “We weren’t feeding the same people the ball and we were really mixing it up to keep their defense on their toes.”

Eight different players recorded kills and six different players recorded aces in a balanced Roadrunners attack, while the Roadrunners defense worked together to only allow 31 points across the 25-6, 25-17, and 25-8 set wins.

In the first set, San Tan Charter demonstrated excellent individual hitting. On offense, their scoring was paced by serving from freshman setter Ella Shoap and freshman middle blocker Aubrey Michalos, who combined for six aces in the first set.

On defense, the Roadrunners showed great team cohesion, limiting the Honey Badgers to only two kills, with their other four points coming from Roadrunners errors. 

Scoring was rounded out by Highland Prep errors and kills from senior outside hitter Briannah Gibson, junior opposite hitter Sarah Dippre and Schwinden, as the Roadrunners comfortably claimed the first set 25-6.

“I think their cohesiveness really is what made the difference today,” Highland Prep Coach Joshua Laguit said. “I think having those years of building up that trust and that teamwork definitely plays a big role in making sure you play as a team and in communication on the court.”

The second set was more closely contested with both teams trading points to a 13-13 tie halfway through the set. However, San Tan Charter was again able to break free.

The Roadrunners went on a 5-0 scoring run that consisted of a Shoap block, an ace from sophomore Kylie Bonner and three more Honey Badgers errors.

One final San Tan Charter scoring run closed out the second set, as freshman outside hitter Kendall Antell claimed a kill and Shoap scored another pair of aces to give the Roadrunners a 25-17 set win.

The Roadrunners took this momentum with them to the third set, jumping out to a 9-5 lead before four more errors and a pair of Gibson aces gave San Tan Charter a 16-5 lead. 

The Honey Badgers scored only three more times while the Roadrunners got kills from Michalos, Dippre, freshman middle blocker Ali Neugart, freshman outside hitter Katie Sippel and junior libero Isabella Ortiz to close out the final set, 25-8.

The three-set victory extended the Roadrunners’ win streak to two, after splitting games at the Small School Classic this past Saturday.

“Obviously, it kind of builds you up to get a win like this,” Roadrunners Coach Timothy Porter said. “Hopefully, we can bring it into Friday.”

San Tan Charter will look to continue its winning ways against the Santa Rita Eagles (1-3, 0-3) at 5 p.m. Friday.  Highland Prep faces Arete Prep at home Wednesday at 6 p.m.