Grace Rico is an ASU Cronkite Student of Journalism student assigned to cover Greenway for AZPreps365.com

The Greenway Demons went up against the Paradise Honors Panthers in a high-stakes 4A Skyline Region volleyball match.

The Demons fought hard but ultimately fell short, losing three sets to one. Both schools had a region record of 3-1, with Greenway ranked No. 3 in the region and an overall record of 7-3, while the Panthers ranked No. 2 with an overall record of 6-5. Greenway was determined to capitalize on their strong season.

The Panthers came out strong in the first set, establishing an early lead. Paradise Honors senior Vanessa Lobrigo was on the attack the entire night. Despite strong blocks from Greenway middle blocker Alexandra Vazquez and solid plays from Haidyn Nelson, the Demons struggled with a loss of 25-16 in the first set.

In the second set with a 16-8 Greenway lead, Paradise Honor's head coach called a timeout. This timeout allowed the Demons to cool down and maintain their lead.

“Our plan going into this game was to be consistent. Paradise Honors has some great players, so we wanted to hone in on playing smart, and that showed in the second set,” head coach Sarah Peterson said.

After the timeout, Greenway continued to dominate, closing out the set with a score of 25-17. Senior setter Tatum Peterson stood out in this set with her vocal presence and her recognition of Paradise Honors pushing the corners and placing the ball in specific zones in the back row.

“I’ve grown up playing volleyball; my mom has been a coach my whole life, so I’ve always been in the gym. I think that has helped me see when teams are pushing the ball to specific spots, and she has helped me with reading the court, my court awareness, and how to be a leader. Playing club has helped me too,” Tatum said.

Her court awareness and readiness for the ball forced Paradise Honors to change their tactics to tipping and cross-court down balls.

The third set was close throughout, with both teams going back and forth in points and long rallies pushing each other. As the set progressed, tensions rose when the up referee made the decision to eject the entire Greenway student section from the stands. This unexpected call added emotional pressure to the match as the Demons fought to regain momentum without the support of their fans. However, Paradise Honors capitalized on this, and the set ended 25-19.

In the fourth set, Greenway continued to apply pressure but unfortunately lost with a score of 25-14. Despite this, they remained vocal and determined on the court, and anyone in the stands could see Greenway's communication and effort.

Alexandra Vazquez explained the team chemistry, as she said, “We did a retreat as a team, and I think that helped so much with our team chemistry and communication. That's what really helps us be loud and talk on the court. We are friends outside of volleyball.”

Though Greenway lost looking ahead, Coach Peterson emphasized the importance of being mentally prepared as they head into their next region game against Barry Goldwater High School.

“For Barry Goldwater, we can’t be in our heads. Our main focus is playing smarter, not harder. When we get in our heads, we lose that edge. We need to relax and have fun. Volleyball should be fun; it is fun,” Peterson said.