Nico Battiata is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Sunnyslope for AZPreps365.com

After an excruciating five-set loss against No. 1 Xavier Prep last week, Sunnyslope looked to get back to its winning ways against Chandler on Monday.

The Vikings managed to do exactly that, dominating Chandler in a 3-0 sweep over the Wolves. 

The Vikings were able to squeak out the first set with two back-to-back aces from Zoe Haan. After that, they never looked back. They took the final three sets 25-16, 25-7, and 25-12. 

Kaia Pixler, a senior captain for Sunnyslope, recognized the lack of effort after the Vikings’ sluggish first set and managed to fire up her squad for the rest of the match.

“I think in the first set, definitely a slower start, but once we started to play to our level, it definitely took off,” said Pixler. “I think the second set was 25-7, so that really showed how strong we were.”

The Vikings (22-6 overall) came out of the huddle and went on a 10-3 run before Chandler (1-30-1) took a timeout of their own. 

“I feel like we improved throughout the night,” Sunnyslope coach Amber Geer said. “I felt like we started out with a little low energy for us, but as the night went on, I feel like they got a little bit more vocal, they communicated a little better, and I felt like the team camaraderie kind of came together.”

The Vikings struggled with their serves early, but Haan, who had the two aces in the first set, made sure to not let the serving issues get the best of them. 

“I think making our serving more consistent,” Haan said about what the team could improve on in future matches. “We’re a really strong serving team and I think it helps us take charge better.” 

In the third set, Sunnyslope relied on much of its bench to lead the charge. The Vikings did not disappoint, leading Sunnyslope on two separate respective 5-0 and 7-0 runs.

Sophomore Vega Tunnell had three aces in a five-point span, and along with a couple of net violations by Chandler, the Wolves simply could not put a stop to Sunnyslope’s attack.

With the win, Sunnyslope now sits at a 22-6 record and should continue to hold their spot as the No. 4 anked team in the AIA power point rankings. The Vikings will continue on to their final three matches against 6A Central Region rivals Corona Del Sol, Xavier Prep, and Desert Vista. 

Sunnyslope, which is 2-2 in region play, will look to get revenge on Xavier and Corona Del Sol after losing to both earlier this season, however, it won’t be easy, as Xavier (4-0 in region) is ranked No. 1 and Corona Del Sol (3-1) is ranked No. 3 in the AIA rankings.