Megann Reeser is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Desert Edge High School for AZPreps365.com.

 

The Scorpions varsity girls’ volleyball team fought hard by never giving up during a key regional game against a top opponent in their region. 

The Canyon View High School Jaguars swept the Desert Edge High School Scorpions 3-0 in a critical regional matchup on Thursday, October 3, that helped determine each team’s standings and has potential playoff implications. 

The Jaguars improved to 8-3 overall and 7-0 in regional play while the Scorpions fell to 4-7 overall and 2-4 in regional play.

Desert Edge Head Coach Tyra Tilivala said her team did well despite the loss and responded better to adversity. 

“Our girls stayed aggressive as much as they could,” Tilivala said. “They really used a scheme to push themselves to be better because we’ve had some losses in the season where they definitely could have been on a rollercoaster of emotions.”

Canyon View did a good job of finding their weaknesses and capitalizing on them throughout the game, Tilivala added.

“They were realizing where our weakest spot on the court was,” she said. “They were aiming at our hitters and exploiting our weaknesses.” 

The Scorpions always try to have a positive mindset even when they lose a game, Tilivala said. 

“We are always hyper focused on the losses and what we didn't do well in a game,” she said. “We don’t really get to highlight the things we did well even though we lost. I am trying to instill in these girls even though we’ve lost, you’ve done something good in this game.”

Desert Edge sophomore Shadai Wilson said Canyon View excelled at hitting and blocking throughout the game, highlighting the effort of Canyon View’s Bailey Lambert. 

“They had really good hitting,” Wilson said. “I also thought they were really good at blocking. They were clicking in all aspects of the game. Bailey Lambert on the other team really showed out and gave us a tough time.” 

The Scorpions plan to work on their energy throughout the game to help improve for the rest of the season, Wilson added.

“I think we can work on having a rollercoaster of emotions. We can work on keeping our energy high during the entire game,” Wilson said.

Desert Edge senior Dana Lytle said the Scorpions played well as a team despite getting swept by the Jaguars. 

“It didn't matter whether we lost a point or won a point," Lytle said. "We were all cheering for each other and lifting each other up."

Lytle also talked about the team’s mentality and how it doesnt change whether they are winning or losing. 

“We always go for the positive side of things, whether we win or lose. We always try to look for the small wins even in the losses,” Lytle said, adding that the team is going to continue working hard in practice to finish the season on a strong note. “We are going to work together to get out of our heads a little bit when we get down in games. We are also going to work on blocking and finding holes in the court.”