Shelby Evans is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Cactus Shadows High School for AZPreps365.com

SCOTTSDALE – The Cactus Shadows girls volleyball team swept Combs as senior setter Mateja Cousins tallied her 500th career assist on Wednesday night. 

In the third set, Cousins fed a ball to junior Sammy Ryan, setting herself up for a career achievement. 

“Five-hundred more, let’s go,” Cousins said. 

In her junior year, she had 253 assists. By adding 21 assists on Wednesday, her current season total is 247. 

Cousins, a two-sport varsity athlete, plays point guard on the Cactus Shadows girls basketball team.

“It’s been really really fun to watch her improve, and watch her decision-making, but it never surprises me when she passes milestones,” coach Jeff Dumbrell said. 

The Falcons had a comfortable win over Combs with a final score of 25-9, 25-15, 25-18. 

Coyotes coach Ed Allen said his team struggled to cover the net, particularly without injured outside hitter Chloe Gonzales.

“We don’t have a lot of height, especially on that right side to be able to get blocks on a fast swing,” Allen said. 

Combs grabbed an early 5-4 lead in the second set but it lacked an answer to the serve from Cactus Shadows senior Karease Broeker, who hit three aces in four points. 

“We had some struggles as far as where our defense was, but overall they worked well together as a team,” Allen said.

Combs junior London Matthews stepped up as an outside hitter and recorded three aces in the second set.

The Coyotes’ teamwork was not enough to keep up with the undefeated Falcons, who spent the match rotating their 17-player roster through the court. 

“A lot of the girls want to see their teammates get the opportunities to play,” Dumbrell said. “So, I think that’s a motivating factor for them to want to play at a higher level and to get those big leads, so that I can make some of the changes and get girls in that don’t normally play.” 

In the second set, junior Sammy Ryan launched her 11th and 12th aces of the season, back-to-back. She finished the game with three kills, bringing her season total to 11. 

Junior setter Addysen Bennyhoff also logged more time on court Wednesday. She had three aces in the second set.

“Those two surprised me more than anybody tonight,” Dumbrell said.

Falcons kill leader Karease Broeker hit eight kills and four aces in the match. She tops the 4A Desert Sky conference in kills with a season total of 115. 

Combs was the last non-regional game of the season for the Falcons, who have nine more regular season games to try and remain undefeated.  

“Every game we go into we just want to kill it and win,” Cousins said. “We’re trying to go for the undefeated season–state champs.”

Combs (0-6, 0-2) will host Agua Fria on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Cactus Shadows (6-0, 1-0) will play Marcus de Niza on Sept. 25 at 6 p.m.