Cameron Dean
ASU Student Journalist

North High takes care of business against Trevor Browne

October 27, 2021 by Cameron Dean, Arizona State University


Team poses after their final win of the season, and final game together ( Cameron Dean/ AZpreps365)

Cameron Dean is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover North High School for AZPreps365.com

In their season finale, North High looked dominant against winless Trevor Browne High School Tuesday night during a three-set sweep. The Mustangs deployed a hefty number of kills with solid communication to triumph 25-17, 25-10, 25-9.

The Mustangs recorded 33 kills and 29 assists for the match in winning their ninth match of the season against eight defeats. Senior libero Madison Gallagher recorded a team-high 22 assists as North surged to finish their 2021 campaign above .500.

In the first set the Mustangs recorded their first kill via a lofty assist by Gallagher, who set up the spike for Zoe Blocher-Rubin. Gallagher handed out nine assists in the set. The duo executed a similar play later in the set, with Blocher-Rubin swinging back her right arm to fake out the Bruins, then dinking a floater over the net and onto the hardwood. That point left the Mustangs traiiling 8-7 early.

Trevor Browne then hit its stride, scoring five straight points against North, which suddenly became error-prone. The Mustangs had a 2.3 pass error average in the first set, their highest of the match. 

The Bruins led 17-14 when the the Mustangs exploded for a nine-point run to take control. North's wing spiker, Yuliana Apocada, served up four straight aces and scored the final point of the set off an ace as well to clinch it, 25-17.

"I was mentally prepared," Apocada said.  

The Mustangs brought the hammer down in the second set, slamming 12 kills and stifling the Bruin defense. North consistently traded two or three scores for one by Trevor Browne, which led to a 16-9 advantage for the Mustangs. North closed out the set on a  a 9-1 run to win, 25-10, behind four kills from Yuliana Apocada and five assists from the Gallagher. 

Gallagher attributed the commanding victory in the second set to the team's communication. "We decided to work together as a team," said Gallagher, "and not as individuals." 

North won its third set in similar fashion, triumphing 25-9 over the Bruins. A dink from Blocher-Rubin sealed the match. The Mustangs had 10 kills and nine assists in the set, with eight coming from Gallagher. The win allowed the Mustangs, who will not advance to the playoffs, to finish third in the 6A Metro division.

Gallagher, a three-year varsity player, was in high spirits after the win even though it authored the end of her high school volleyball career. "We all played our best," she said, "and that's all that mattered."  

The Mustangs endured a difficult season, losing three key players halfway through. Gallagher was lost for a few matches, while wing Deziray Lopez and middle blocker Raquel Sewell were lost for the entire season. Despite the hardships, coach Mindy Williams was buoyed by her team's grit. 

"I am proud of them," said Williams, "because a lot of them displayed great character."