Mesa Volleyball claims first Region title since 2017; next stop Nationals!

Sunday November 10, 2024 - 3:00 p.m. | Dylan DeVlieger

Mesa Volleyball claimed their first Region title since 2017 over the weekend as they ran the table in the NJCAA Region I tournament, facing adversity each step of the way.

The T-Birds went into the tournament as the No. 4 seed and had a daunting task of taking on the No. 1 seed Glendale in their opening match on Thursday. After pushing the Gauchos to the limit in the first two sets Mesa found themselves in a situation they've been in many times this season, attempting to come back from down two sets.

In set three Mesa fought as much as they could but found themselves down 23-18. The T-Birds would rally to score five straight points to tie the set before surrendering a point, giving Glendale an opportunity to put Mesa to bed.

Mesa again, would find a way to rally to keep the set alive before finally winning, 27-25. Mesa used that momentum to power them to a fourth set win, 25-17 to force a deciding fifth set.

In the final set the T-Birds and Gauchos would battle back and forth until Glendale would work themselves into a position to yet again put Mesa away as they led, 14-12.

Back-to-back kills from Isa Folau would tie up the set at 14 each, an attack error by Glendale would give Mesa match point and Simone Haptonstall would finish the job with a kill to advance the T-Birds to the winners side of the bracket.

Izzay Wagner ended the match with 18 kills on 40 attempts with just five errors and five total blocks, Brianna Anderson tallied 29 digs, and Madden Bingham had six service aces. 

After the match head coach Jordan Herrington reflected on the improbable win her team pulled off, after being down to their final point, to finding a way to battle back and pull it off. 

"From being down 18-23, we fought hard for one another mentally, emotionally, and physically to come back from being down 0-2, that's not an easy thing to do but these girls did that," said Herrington. 

On Friday Mesa would take on No. 2 Scottsdale, a team that the T-Birds had gone 1-2 against on the season with their only victory coming in the first game of the season back on Aug. 23. 

By how Mesa started the first two sets of the match, one would never think that the T-Birds haven't had a victory over the Artichokes in nearly three months. The first set Mesa took 25-16 and in the second set 25-13 to put them up two sets to none. 

In the third set SCC fought back and narrowly took down MCC, 25-22. In the fifth set the T-Birds would put their foot down, holding off all Scottsdale attempts to swing momentum in their favor as they won the set, 25-21 clinching a spot in the championship on Saturday.

Wagner somehow topped herself as had 19 kills on 25 attempts with just five errors, Brynlee Barris had four total blocks, Anderson had 23 digs, and Adrienne Tafoya had six service aces.

Scottsdale would climb their way into the championship match after eliminating Pima later on Friday night. 

Going into the championship match on Saturday Mesa had played five fewer sets than the Artichokes as they went to five with Pima on Thursday, four with Mesa on Friday afternoon, and five against Pima on Friday night. 

Though Mesa had rested legs compared to the Artichokes, Scottsdale found a way to take set one, 25-23. The T-Birds as they've done all season responded in the following set as they won, 25-23. The wheels seemed to wobble in the third set as Scottsdale dominated before taking a 25-14 victory.

In the fourth set Mesa came out with their backs against the wall and proved they belong. Scottsdale threw heavy blows that seemed to jar the T-Birds but time and time again Mesa responded and would eventually take the set, 25-20.

In the set that would decide if Mesa would dethrone Scottsdale, a team that has dominated Region I for the past four seasons, a critical substitution error would put Mesa behind the eight ball to start.

Mesa and Scottsdale battled to begin the set, Mesa took a 5-4 lead before the error was noticed, after corrections were made the T-Birds would lose all points earned, giving Scottsdale a 5-0 lead.

After discussion, instead of putting their heads down at the unimaginable disadvantage they find themselves in, the T-Birds took it as a new challenge eager and excited to overcome.

Overcome they would as the T-Birds would outscore Scottsdale, 10-5 to knot the game up at 10 each.  Back and forth the teams traded points before Mesa had match point and finally were able to put the Artichokes away as Mesa would claim their place atop Region I.

Folau led the way with 16 kills, Barris had five total blocks, Anderson had 34 digs, and Tafoya tallied three service aces. 

In the face of a 5-0 deficit Anderson knew her team was capable of mounting a comeback because of their makeup as a team and being in a similar position many times this season.

"In reality we're always down 0-5, we stayed calm, composed, and nobody gave up. Our energy is really what helped us win," said Anderson.

Anderson was named as the NJCAA Region I Most Valuable Player of the tournament as she totaled 86 digs and 16 assists during the three matches.

"I couldn't have done it without my team, I'm thankful for them because they always encourage me even when I struggle they're always there to pick me up. I just love to do anything that can help my team win," said Anderson when asked what winning the individual honor means to her. 

Through the entire season Mesa has faced incredible challenges, from injuries, to slumps, to bad losses, the T-Birds always found a way to rally behind each other and their coaches.

"This team has proven to be resilient this entire season. We have dealt with injuries all season and that takes a toll mentally," said Herrington, "we did everything we could off the court to stay on the court and these girls were able to push through at the right time." 

Mesa will now turn their attention to Nationals, territory that the T-Birds havent sniffed since 2017 when they took home 6th place. MCC will know where they fall in the 20 team bracket on Wednesday during the NJCAA Selection Show. Time and link for the show to come.