#5 Arcadia VB turns back #20 Mesquite

October 25, 2022 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Arcadia's Ryan Sheedy (7) prepares to lower the boom on Mesquite in Tuesday's match won by the Titans in four sets. (Azpreps365 photo)

#5 Arcadia spotted #20 Mesquite the opening set of their 4A Desert Sky Region match on Wednesday night. There would be little to cheer about the rest of the evening for the home fans on Mesquite's Senior Night.

Arcadia bounced back capturing the next three sets to remain undefeated in region play. Scores were 23-25, 25-21, 25-14 and 25-19. Arcadia improved its overall power-ranking mark to 14-2 and is 9-0 in region. Mesquite is 6-10 in power-ranking matches and 4-5 in region.

Arcadia is safely in line for a first-round bye in the state tournament that begins Nov. 3. First-round byes go to the top eight teams in the conference. Mesquite is destined for a road match in the conference play-in round on Nov.1. Both schools have one more regular-season match on Thursday. Arcadia hosts #24 Seton Catholic and Mesquite visits #44 Marcos de Niza.

Senior Ryan Sheedy and junior Taylor Soule paced Arcadia's attack with 16 kills each. Mesquite got double-figure kills from hitter Ryleigh Vollmer (10) with middle Mahri Kaczmarek adding six.

Mesquite managed a come-from behind win in the opening set. The Wildcats trailed 8-2, but bounced back with a nice run to lead, 14-11. Arcadia took back the lead a couple times with its last edge 20-19. The set's final tie (nine in the set) was 20-all. Two aces by Kaczmarek and a Vollmer kill helped gain a 24-20 lead. Arcadia pulled within 24-23, but a Titans' service error finished the set.

The rest of the evening had Mesquite playing catch-up. Mesquite led just twice in the second set. Arcadia got 10 kills in the set from Sheedy (6) and Soule (4). In the third set Sheedy and Soule combined for seven kills and Andrea Firman served three aces. Mesquite led 11-7 in the fourth set, but the lead ebbed with Arcadia taking the lead for good, 15-14, thanks to a Sheedy ace. Soule closed the set and match with back-to-back kills.