Lady Dragons beat Blue Griffins in five games
A win is a win, and the Monte del Sol Lady Dragons will take one where they can get it.
Facing a Santa Fe Prep squad without seniors Samantha Wilson and Julia Brock, Monte del Sol squeezed out a 25-16, 17-25, 25-27, 25-21, 15-10 win in a District 2-3A match in the Genoveva Chavez Community Center on Wednesday night.
The win evened up the Lady Dragons’ record to 7-7 overall, and 1-1 in 2-3A. However, Monte del Sol head coach Chela Butler was happy to see her team finally get a five-game match to go its way — the Lady Dragons were 0-3 in the fifth game so far this season.
“Any win is great right now,” Butler said. “After we went five with Dulce [on Saturday], we needed this. I thought our girls came out really hard and played well.”
Monte del Sol definitely came out swinging, as three players reached double figures in kills for the first time this season. Arianna Gonzales had a team-high 13 kills, while Talia Flaherty added 11 in her first match back after suffering a head injury against Desert Academy on Oct. 5. Rounding out the threeheaded attack was Emi Fukuda, who also had 11 in a supporting role.
“Arianna came up big with her hits,” Butler said. “They weren’t hard, but they were where [the Blue Griffins] were not, and that’s what we needed.”
Lizbeth Nava had 21 assists and Lia Fukuda added 18 for Monte del Sol, and Vianey Garcia had 30 digs.
Prep had Daisy Cunningham lead the team with 13 kills, while Raelyn Gonzales added eight kills and eight blocks.
Sydney Pope filled in for Wilson and had five kills, three aces and a pair of digs. India Cunningham led the Blue Griffins (9-7, 1-1) with 29 assists.
“The sets we won, we were the aggressive team, but we just couldn’t continue,” Prep head coach Kiran Bhakta said. “We took key points off, but I know that there was not way we took them lightly.”
DESERT ACADEMY 3, TIERRA ENCANTADA 0
The Lady Wildcats opened 3-3A play with a convincing 25-8, 25-10, 25-12 sweep of the Lady Alacranes, which convinced Desert Academy head coach Natalie Passalacqua even more that the tough nondistrict schedule helped her team.
“I knew the nondistrict schedule was pretty tough,” Passalacqua said. “I would rather it be rough because it’s been good for our team. I’d rather play tough teams and get the experience.”
Hailey Scarborough had 19 assists to lead the Lady Wildcats (4-8, 1-0), while Natalie Nathanson recorded 12 kills and 24 service points.
PASSALACQUA RESIGNS AS DESERT ACADEMY ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
Passalacqua confirmed Wednesday night that she has resigned as the athletic director at Desert Academy, a post she held for nine years at the school. Passalacqua said she will continue to coach the volleyball team through the season but will relinquish her AD duties Oct. 19.
Passalacqua added that she accepted a job as a teacher in the Los Alamos Public Schools district and will start work there right after her resignation takes effect.
Under Passalacqua, Desert Academy navigated a jump from Class 1A to 3A for the private school. During her time, the boys basketball team made the state tournament the last two years, the volleyball program reached the 3A semifinals in November and the boys soccer program won its first district title in 2016.