Even though his team's play Wednesday night was wildly erratic, Mesa Mountain View girls volleyball coach Tony Millanes has learned early in the season his troops never give up.

That never-say-die trait served the Lady Toros well as they staved off a fourth-set elimination and took the match in a tight fifth set to win their third power-ranking match in four attempts -- this one from host Campo Verde. Scores were 18-25, 25-12, 27-29, 25-23 and 15-13.

Mountain View (8-4 overall) was down 2 sets to 1 and trailing in the fourth set 9-0 and a bit later, 11-1. With its serving clicking and defense playing much better, the Lady Toros erased that deficit to win the fourth set by two. They actually took the lead in the set as early as 16-15. The final set was nip-and-tuck  to the finish with junior hitter Mala Tukuafu supplying powerful back-row attacks for winners. Tukuafu collected three kills in the final set and finished unofficially with a team high 10.  Olivia Osborn and Jessica Perry were next with nine kills apiece for the Lady Toros.

Millanes, who sat at the far end of Mountain View's bench during play, showed little outward emotion as the topsy-turvy match progressed. That didn't mean he lacked confidence in his team or was detached. Much of the team's emotion resided in Tukuafu's effort especailly when she was on the attack.

"My team will fight to the end no matter what," Millanes said, finally showing some emotion at the end of  the topsy-turvy, two-hour match. "When we served well and passed well, we were all right. .... When Mala) gets going she's a beast. It's kind of ironic because (Campo Verde coach) Vee (Hiapo) trained her. That's a testament to Vee and the program she's got right now."

Mountain View's serving -- and at times Campo Verde's trouble with serve-receive -- combined to jump-start the Lady Toros. For the match Mountain View served 14 aces. Eight came in the second set and five in the fourth -- sets it won. Perry led the serving brigade with five aces.

On the Campo Verde side, it was a tough loss to absorb. The Lady Coyotes (4-3 overall, 0-2 in power-ranking matches) are experiencing a second wave of growing pains with a young team and a move up this year to Division I. They are members of a section that includes D-I powers Hamilton, Desert Vista, Mountain Pointe, Basha and Corona and up-and-coming Perry.

Campo Verde has seen its share of success as it enters its sixth varsity season. Evidence is a runner-up finish in Division II in 2013 and five four winning seasons to date. The school has its third coach in three years with Hiapo returning to the prep level after time spent at Chandler-Gilbert CC.  She's well-respected in the East Valley where she's piloted Highland to boys volleyball titles previously. Campo started a junior, three sophmores and a freshman on Wednesday.

Statistical leaders for Campo in defeat unofficially were  freshman Kamaile Hiapo with 13 kills, senior Sydney Nelson (11 kills) and sophomore Alexis Keith (8 kills).