The Mesa varsity girls volleyball swept Red Mountain Thursday night in three straight games in its first playoff match of the season.

All three games were relatively quick ones.

The first set started close after each team traded side outs, but Mesa pulled ahead to win 25-15.

At game point the second set, Red Mountain’s Jen Vesco scored a point for her team for a fighting chance to get the win, but the Mountain Lions couldn’t deliver and lost 25-14.

During the third set, Red Mountain fought from the onset until Mesa’s team captain and setter Kaitlyn Foster came to serve. Mesa continued to pull ahead, eventually winning the third set 25-18.

The Jackrabbits went into the game with a 14-4 overall record, stumping Red Mountain, which came in 8-9 overall.

Red Mountain coach Kevin Holck focused on the positives from the match.

“I think our serving was a lot better today, which in the past couple days it hasn’t been that great," Holck said. "So at least our serving was a bit more consistent and we were able to get balls over and in.”

Holck went on to say a big struggle for team was communication.

“We went 8-9 with a team that I don’t feel pushed themselves enough, and I probably didn’t push them enough either, and just imagining what we could’ve done if we played 110% every single match,” Holck said.

Holck outlined Kayla Subbert, Makenna Fullford and Taylor Westra as key players in the game.

“Going into it, I had high hopes for the team, but we ended up not meshing as well as usual,” Makenna Fullford said. “Our serve-receive passing was pretty rough tonight but I feel like the last two sets we did a lot better and were encouraging each other a little more and it made us play a little better, I guess.”

Fullford agreed they need to work on communication on the court, but believes they share a sense of humor that helps them work through it.

“We get pretty mad at each other when we mess up, but joking definitely helps a lot and eases the mood, which is nice,” Fullford said.

Despite keeping their humor on the court to lighten the mood, Fullford was still disappointed.

“I definitely hoped we finished a little better than we did,” Fullford said.