Amanda Lopez is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Desert Vista for AZPreps365.com

PHOENIX — Desert Vista girls volleyball rallied from a 13-point opening-set loss to take a 2-1 lead against Xavier College Prep on Thursday, but the Thunder could not finish the comeback, falling 15-12 in the deciding fifth set.

Despite the loss, the match marked a milestone for senior setter Emerson Ortiz, who reached 2,000 career assists. Ortiz finished with 45 assists and 15 digs, helping the Thunder win the second and third sets after dropping the opener 25-12.

“I’m really excited about it,” said Ortiz of reaching the milestone. “I think it just shows how far our team has come throughout the year, and I’m really glad that I got to share it with them in my senior season.”

Desert Vista entered the match looking to respond after being swept by Xavier in its previous meeting. This time, the Thunder adjusted their blocking schemes and used more substitutions to improve their depth.

Xavier controlled the opening set but Desert Vista responded with a 25-17 victory in the second. The Thunder continued that momentum into the third set, winning 25-22 to take a 2-1 lead. 

“The big takeaway for us was that we never gave up,” head coach Kristoffer Maglunog said. “We pushed through the long run, and that’s something that I’m looking for, not only as we head toward the end of this season, but for the future of our program.”

Xavier answered in the fourth set, winning 25-18 to force a deciding fifth. Desert Vista stayed in the match, but Xavier secured a 15-12 victory to end the Thunder’s comeback attempt.

Despite the loss, Maglunog said the match showed the team what Desert Vista could accomplish against a strong opponent.

“We know that we can hang with the best of the best,” Maglunog said. “We know what we’re capable of. Now it’s just really, really believing in ourselves the entire way.”

Kenzie Maldonado led the Thunder offensively with 18 kills, three aces and 19 digs. Sydney Singleton added 15 kills, while MaryElla Owens recorded 12. The Thunder finished with 57 kills, 72 digs and eight aces.

Ortiz said small moments of hesitation became more noticeable as the match tightened, but she viewed those mistakes as lessons the team could carry into its remaining matches. 

“Over the last six years, we’ve never even taken a set off of them, so just that alone was a really big moment for us,” Ortiz said.

Assistant coach Grace Mueller said the team’s performance demonstrated how working together and making substitutions could improve its level of play.

“It shows that when we are working together, and we have a bunch of moving parts, and subs are flowing, that we are able to take it to a higher level of play,” Mueller said.

With the loss, Desert Vista fell to 4-4 in regional play and third place overall, while Xavier improved to 8-0 in region play and atop the standings.

Desert Vista will look to build on its performance against Xavier when it hosts Apollo on Oct. 26. The Thunder will then host Corona del Sol on Oct. 28 for senior night, giving the team another opportunity to carry its improved play into the final stretch of the season.