Noah Sasaki is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover San Tan Charter High School for AZPreps365.com

GILBERT – Some pregame pyrotechnics from San Tan Charter on Senior Night foreshadowed a high-powered offensive performance led by freshman setter Ella Shoap in Thursday’s matchup between San Tan Charter (15-2, 10-0) and Arete Prep (5-13, 4-6).

Shoap tallied 11 aces and 26 assists as the Roadrunners showed why they have been undefeated since Sept. 9.

San Tan Charter, ranked eighth in the 2A standings, swept the visiting Arete Prep Chargers in three sets, winning 25-13, 25-16, and 25-8.

“You have to be firing on all cylinders to play a team like San Tan,” Chargers Coach Arikah Kiyaani-McClary said. “We weren’t quite there.”

The Chargers were still dealing with some injuries from midseason that forced players like junior hitter Mya Chacon to play out of position and made a tough matchup in San Tan Charter even tougher.

The Roadrunners wasted no time opening up a 7-0 lead in the first set behind three aces and one assist from Shoap. 

Despite conceding 13 points, the Roadrunners dominated with a majority of points for the Chargers coming from errors in the 25-13 set win.

In the second set, it was sophomore outside hitter Peyton Schwinden who led the way to an early 6-1 lead for the Roadrunners with three aces.

However, the Chargers fired back with a 4-0 run behind an ace from senior outside hitter Bekkah Garver and kills from senior defensive specialist Casey La and senior outside hitter Charis Vaughn to take a 9-8 lead.

The Roadrunners traded blows with the Chargers before Shoap stepped up to serve again with the second set tied at 11-11.

Shoap served three aces and dished out two assists in an 8-0 run that quickly left the second set out of reach. 

“We just found out that she’s nationally ranked in the top 100 for aces,” Roadrunners Coach Timothy Porter said about Shoap. “When we have our setter, our first server, and she can do that, it’s comforting.”

Shoap tallied three more assists, including one for set point, to help San Tan Charter take a two-set lead with a 25-16 win.

The third and final set was all San Tan Charter. Shoap once again opened the scoring with four straight aces and an assist before the Chargers earned their first point from a Roadrunners error.

The Roadrunners found four kills from freshman middle blocker Ali Neugart and three aces from junior setter Isabella Ortiz off the bench to help close out the sweep with a 25-8 win.

“Today, we demonstrated how much depth we have,” Porter said. “I’m not scared to put anyone off the bench on the court.”

Looking forward to the start of the postseason, San Tan Charter hopes to continue its momentum behind more standout performances from Shoap along with Schwinden and senior outside hitter Briannah Gibson.

Gibson added five kills, only second to Schwinden with seven kills, to help pace the Roadrunners hitting in Thursday’s match.

“We have a strong mindset when we’re playing well together and we’re happy,” Gibson said about the postseason. “I want to carry that into the playoffs and into everything that’s ahead of us.”

San Tan Charter will begin play in the 2A Valley Tournament this Saturday at 12 p.m. against an undetermined opponent.

Arete Prep plays the San Carlos Braves (2-16, 1-9) in the 2A Valley Tournament this Saturday at 10 a.m.