Riley Kelton is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Cactus High School for AZpreps365.com

The Cactus girls volleyball team won its eighth straight match, defeating Peoria in straight sets, 25-10, 25-19, 25-6, Friday night in Glendale.

The Cobras never trailed at any point. Their last five victories have all been three-set sweeps.

“We have been working to finish all three sets with tenacity,” Cactus coach Debbie Martin said. “Our goal today was to play with even keel. If we can beat a team 25-8, that’s what we should do in all three sets.”

The Cobras set the tone early with a 4-0 run in the first set. After the Panthers scored two points, Cactus responded with an 11-0 run.

Freshman outside hitter Skye Moore had six aces and five kills in the opening set. She finished with eight aces and 11 kills, both team highs, while hitting .364 on the night.

“I can’t wait to see her in her senior year,” Martin said. “She thinks like a freshman, but she has the skills of a junior or senior. I get her for four years. She and Addison Martin are going to be amazing together.”

Martin, a freshman setter, finished the match with five kills, four aces and 17 assists while hitting 1.000.

In the second set, the Panthers adjusted to the Cobras’ attack and trailed just 11-8 before the Cobras pulled away with a 6-0 run to make it 17-8.

“We switched to a 5-1 rotation in that set,” Peoria coach Ben Markley said. “We ran a 6-2 in the first set and switched to the 5-1 to try and play quicker. We generate better offense that way.”

The Panthers’ new rotation helped cut the deficit to 23-19 after separate 4-0 and 3-0 runs, but Cactus closed it out when Martin delivered her third straight kill, followed by Moore sealing the set with an ace.

The third set was tied 3-3 before the Cobras went on an 11-3 run, then finishing with an 11-0 run to clinch the sweep. All six of Peoria’s points in the set came on service and attack errors by the Cobras.

“We talked before about us losing momentum in the third set,” Martin said. “We won in three, but I want to beat a team by the score it should be for the team we are playing against.”

Junior outside hitter Laila Long led the Cobras with 10 digs. Senior middle blocker Audrey Morgan and Long combined for the team’s only block. Every Cactus player recorded at least one stat in the match.

“I should be able to play all my players and have the same result,” Martin said. “I have valleys of talent like any team, but I have a team that is pretty solid.”

While every player for the Cobras recorded a stat, every Panther played in at least one set, which Markley said is key for the development of his young team.

“We are trying to build team chemistry,” Markley said. “We are working on team-bonding, which rolls over to the parents, too. We are just trying to rebuild this program.”

Both teams return to action at 6 p.m. Monday. Cactus (14-2) travels to Deer Valley (8-14), while Peoria (2-12) hosts Estrella Foothills (11-5).