Salpointe with the best seeds advances to the D-II quarter-finals after beating Rancho Solano Prep

Salpointe with the best seeds advances to the D-II quarter-finals after beating Rancho Solano Prep

May 3, 2021 by Andy Morales, AZPreps365

Megan Muehlebach and Elizabeth Orobiyi (12) fight on the net. (Andy Morales / AZPreps365)

Salpointe # 1 improved to 12-0 year-over-year after the Lancers beat Rancho Solano Prep # 16 5-0 in the first round of Division II beach volleyball playoffs Monday. The Mustangs finished the season on a 4-7 record, but the program ended the regular season on a 3-1 run to qualify for the state playoffs.

The Mustangs won the title of Division II, Section VII with a perfect 3-0 record in the section game. It is the first time the school has made the state playoffs and the team won a program record of four games accompanying the section championship.

The Lancers finished second in 2016 and former Lancers Alex Parkhurst and Abby Russell won the pairs championship in 2019. Dear Valley is 10-2 in the year and the team left Flagstaff No. 9 3-2 to prepare for the quarterfinal match at Salpointe. Flagstaff defeated Deer Valley 3-2 in April.

SALPOINTE 5, RANCHO SOLANO 0

1: SC-Brandy Kishbaugh / Andrea Owens on Amanda Koath / Mehek Sumar (21-4, 21-12)

2: SC-Rylen Bourguet / Emma Hugeback over Kierra Fox / Bela Potocnjak (21-11, 21-16).

3: SC-Francesca Pieroni / Sophia Hernandez via Jessee Stalcup / Ariel Eytan (21-10, 21-4)

4: SC-Megan Muehlebach / Jalynn Ransom on Olivia Schwallier / Elizabeth Orobiyi (21-9, 21-0).

5: SC-Leah Palomares / Gabriella Monge on Taylor Leier / Brea Austerlade (21-8, 21-3).