Jaden Taylor is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism Student assigned to cover Highland High School for AZPreps365.com

In their third and final matchup of the regular season on the Tuesday night, the No. 9 Highland Hawks (25-10, 8-5) were swept by the No. 4 Corona del Sol Aztecs (27-6, 12-2) 25-16, 25-13, 25-13.

“This is kind of one of those nights where you just have to flush down the toilet and nothing really worked,” head coach Tait Neilson said. “

The top-ten 6A Central clash featured 6A’s top three kill leaders. Corona del Sol’s pair of Alyssa Aguayo and Maggie Beauer led the way for the Aztecs combining for 18 kills, five blocks and five aces in the win while sophomore middle blocker Hayden Conner added on seven kills of her own.

“You're not going to stop them, you just try to limit them,” Neilson said. “We were getting a couple [of] blocks and touches but we just kind of broke down in serve-receive which made us kind of scramble and then we're getting like one-on-one blocks out there on the outside...no chance on one on one.”

Following an 18-kill performance last week against Queen Creek, Highland’s senior outside hitter and 6A kill leader Zoe John led the Hawks with 11 kills yet struggled with efficiency, adding on 10 hitting errors.
“I think our energy was not really great today,” John said. “I think we came in expecting a blowout, I don't think we came prepared to win.”

Errors and out of system play was a consistent theme for Highland in the final set as the Hawks combined for seven hitting and four receiving errors. For Neilson, efficiency in serve receive was the biggest disappointment of the night.

"We gotta pass better,” Neilson said. “We were setting 15-16 feet off the net all night. Tough to run our offense right with our setter kind of run around all night. Get back to the drawing board as far as serve and receive goes and see if we can figure some things out.”

A bright spot for the Hawks was senior outside hitter Danica Singleton. Singleton, after a season high eight kills last week against Queen Creek added on another five against the Aztecs. With just three more regular season matches remaining, Singleton emphasized the need to stay in each match.

“I think we just need to change our mindsets. I feel like we gave up super early,” Singleton said. “We all need to realize {that] we're taking for granted the moments we have. I think we need to be more grateful for we have like push to the end.”

Highland has been no stranger to top ranked opponents this season with their loss to Corona del Sol being their seventh consecutive match up against a top-15 opponent.

"When you get to a really, really good competitive team, it's not only physically challenging to keep up with that but it's also mentally challenging,” John said. “It's a really kind of like flipping your switch like you either kick it in gear or you accept defeat."

Following the loss, Highland will head back home for another conference matchup against No. 16 Desert Vista (12-15, 5-8) on Thursday, Oct. 19 at 6 p.m.