Sahuaro hasn't had much luck against Ironwood Ridge recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Cougars will venture away from home to face off against the Nighthawks at 5:30 p.m. Considering both teams were shutout in their prior games, the pair is probably coming into this one with something to prove.
Sahuaro lost 3-0 to Salpointe Catholic on Tuesday.
While Sahuaro was not able to make it on the board, they still kept things close, especially in the second set. The match finished with set scores of 25-18, 25-22, 25-16.
Meanwhile, Ironwood Ridge suffered their biggest loss since April 3rd on Tuesday. They came up short against Mica Mountain, falling 3-0.
The match was exciting from start to finish, as two sets needed extra rallies to gain a two-point lead. Once all was said and done, the final score wound up at 25-17, 26-24, 26-24.
Sahuaro will have to contain Jayce Soto-Balin as he made an impact in Ironwood Ridge's last game. He had 13 digs and four assists.
Ironwood Ridge's defeat ended a four-game streak of away wins and brought them to 12-11. As for Sahuaro, their loss dropped their record down to 10-13.
Here's a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Thursday's match: Sahuaro has really dialed in their serving this season, having averaged 4.6 aces per game. However, it's not like Ironwood Ridge struggles in that department as they've been averaging 5.9 aces. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Sahuaro might still be hurting after the 3-0 defeat they got from Ironwood Ridge when the teams last played on April 1st. Can the Cougars avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
