Collin Landry is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Metro Tech High School for AZPreps365.com 

The Metro Tech Knights girls volleyball team defended it’s home court on Tuesday and beat Fairfax in three sets, 25-8, 25-18, and 25-7. 

The Knights improved to 10-3 on the season and kept their one-match lead in first place of the 5A Metro section. The Fairfax Stampede fell to 1-14 on the season and are last in the 5A Metro section. 

The Knights came into the game after a tough 3-2 loss Monday night to Central. Metro Tech head coach Bryan Heckler said some of the keys to the Knights' victory were, “bringing energy early, starting quickly, and eliminating our mistakes.” 

The Knights did just that in the first set, winning 25-8. The Stampede gave them a tough start to the set as the teams were getting settled into the game. It wasn’t until the 12-6 mark that the Knights started to run away with the set. The Knights went on a 10-point run to bolster their lead up to 22-6. Fairfax was able to get a couple of points before the Knights ended up winning. 

The Stampede didn’t make it much easier on the Knights in the second set as they held on to the lead for most of the first half. The Knights faced an early 6-2 deficit in the set and didn’t have their first lead until it was 16-15 Knights. Metro Tech’s teamwork showed in this set; they were communicating through every pass and volley over the net. In the end, the Knights were just able to out volley the Stampede to win points and eventually win the set 25-18. 

Metro Tech Senior Angelica Gonzalez said that,  “all staying positive and together and communicating, being together as a team” were factors in the Knights being able to pull away. 

The Knights took an early 8-1 lead in the third set and never looked back. They played the third set with confidence and stuck to their game. There was no lack of communication from the Knights; they were loud and moved the ball around to create the best shot possible at every point. The Knights went on an eight-point run to complete the sweep and take the win against Fairfax. 

Senior Aleynnah Oliveras was proud of the team's performance in the third set, not getting distracted when up two sets and being up big in the third set. “We stayed talking and communicating, we kept moving our feet, and most of all, being with each other," Oliveras said.

Heckler said there were several factors in how the Knights have kept up their success in the final month of the seasion. “Keep progressing, being happy, celebrating the success we have had while continuing to grow off of it” were key, Heckler said.

The Stampede will look to get back into the win column Thursday, Oct. 5, in a home match against Sierra Linda. 

Metro Tech will look to keep its lead on the 5A Metro section after their fall break on Monday, Oct. 16, in an away match against Independence.