On Saturday, the Aztecs bounced back from a loss against Boise State to claim a three-set victory (25-19, 26-24, 25-22) against Air Force in Colorado Springs, Co. The Aztecs record now jumps to 10-7 overall.
Sophomore outside hitter Alexandra Psoma led the team with 14 Kills and 4 digs while middle blocker Deja Harris picked up 11 kills with a .444 hitting percentage.
The Aztecs put up a tough defense against the Air Force. Junior Alexis Caig and Senior Danielle Bolden both put up a hefty defensive stance and dug a total of 8 balls. Indigo Thompson put up two blocks with 44 assists and 6 digs, an all-around defensive and offensive performance.
Within the first set, the Aztecs led the team in points. Air Force trailed right behind the Aztecs but eventually the Aztecs gained a seven-point lead. Air Force dug multiple balls and worked hard to get back in the game but the Aztecs cleaned up for the win (25-19).
As the Aztecs went into set two, the Air Force came out fighting hard. The Aztecs blazed ahead in points while the Air Force pushed the game to a tie 24-24. Aztecs Danielle Bolden served up an ace to gain a lead 25-24. The Air Force calls a time and regathered themselves after missing a tough serve. Each team walked back out on the court as Bolden put up another threatening serve. The ball made it back onto the Aztecs side as Indigo Thompson set Alexandra Psoma for the kill to end set two.
As set three approached, the Aztecs were slightly sluggish as the Falcons gained a quick lead. The Aztecs regathered themselves as they began to dominant in points. The ending set turned out to be a win for the Aztecs.
Head Coach Deitre Collins-Parker said the team has been very focused and has been reaching all goals that have been prioritized.
“The team is absolutely on track,” Collings-Parker said. “Our schedule has worked out pretty well. We are playing great teams and competing well against good teams at the right times.”
Leading outside hitter Alexandra Psoma said the team’s passion for the game is what helps them win while senior Danielle Bolden said that with passion comes discipline.
“We always think that screaming, yelling and cheering for each other after we receive a point helps us keep composure and excitement throughout the game until we win” Psoma said.
Bolden said discipline and focus on the little things are important to the team’s success.
“We respect all of our opponents but they must earn points from us, we will not give them away,” Bolden said. “Whenever we touch the ball, we want to make sure that our touches are quality reps. As a team, we are confident in each other that we will get the job done.”
You can catch the Aztecs against Fresno State on the Aztec court Thursday at 6 p.m.
