Olivia Dobbs is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Desert Mountain High School for AZPreps365.com. 

Heavy hitters, tough defense, and impressive blocks stunned the Desert Mountain Wolves leading to a quick three-set sweep. 

In the 2023 season, the Horizon Huskies beat the Desert Mountain Wolves in a competitive three sets. On Tuesday night the Wolves were seeking revenge but ultimately fell short. Head coach Dana Achtzehn expected a very tough match but believed his team fell short and had more fight to give.  

The scrappy Desert Mountain defense was not enough to stop the Horizon Huskies' heavy hitters as they marched onto victory on the Wolves' home tuff. The Huskies came out swinging and the Wolves couldn’t get their hitters going offensively. Despite fighting to stay alive, the Wolves fell short each set losing 25-11, 25-19, and 25-9. 

The Wolves had no response to senior outside hitter Teraya Sigler after she rounded up 15 kills to lead her team to victory. Sigler came into this match swinging and determined to put the ball down and she did just that. Fighting to get a touch on the ball, Sigler's swings were just too powerful and the Wolves defense could not defend her. 

Sigler created chaos on the other side of the net leading the Wolves to get a little sloppy and make mistakes they usually wouldn’t make. 

“We didn’t do a lot of the little things and we didn’t execute,” Achtzehn said. “We had opportunities and it's a really good team and when we had the opportunities we had to capitalize on them and if we don’t, we won’t beat or even compete with a team like that.” 

The Wolves' defense was helping to keep them in the game, but they struggled to stay in system on offense in order to give their hitters a chance to put the ball away. Being out-of-system most of the game took senior middle blocker Rory Tower out of most of the plays.

“It was definitely frustrating, sort of difficult at times. It's just something we have to work on. We gotta get back in the gym and figure out that connection a little more. We have to execute better. I thought that our defense played really good tonight, we just didn’t have their back, and we weren’t able to put balls away for them,” Tower said.

The whole gym could see the frustration written all over Towers's face as her team could not get her the ball. She is a player who gets her team going and will encourage her team to keep fighting during tough games. The Wolves had no fight left after an early deficit in the third set, which allowed the Huskies to keep creeping toward victory.

The Wolves hope this won’t be the last time they see the Huskies. The next time they meet up the Wolves are seeking revenge. The Wolves will be prepared for Siger and will look to shut her down early and get a little momentum on their side.

“We want to prove them wrong. They think they are going to get us again and I don’t think it’s possible,” said senior outside hitter Kaitlyn Millington.