THATCHER, Ariz. — The College of Southern Nevada women's volleyball team pushed Eastern Arizona College to the brink Monday night, but the Gila Monsters rallied from a two-set-to-one deficit to defeat the Lady Coyotes in five sets, 21-25, 25-20, 23-25, 25-14, 15-4, in the NJCAA Region 1 Division I semifinals.
Southern Nevada entered the postseason as the No. 3 seed after finishing third in the ACCAC standings and nearly pulled off the road upset against second-seeded Eastern Arizona. The Lady Coyotes claimed two of the opening three sets before the Gila Monsters seized control over the final two frames to advance to the Region 1 championship.
The loss brought Southern Nevada's 2026 campaign to a close with a 12-13 overall record and a 6-6 mark in ACCAC competition.
Tayla Singleton led the Lady Coyotes offensively with a team-high 16 kills on 57 attempts while adding four digs, a service ace and three block assists. Singleton finished with a team-high 18.5 points, providing much of Southern Nevada's offensive production throughout the five-set battle.
CSN opened the match with an impressive performance, taking the first set 25-21 to establish an early advantage against the Gila Monsters. Eastern Arizona responded in the second, claiming a 25-20 victory to even the match at one set apiece.
The Lady Coyotes regained momentum in the third, delivering a 25-23 victory to move within one set of advancing to the Region 1 championship match. With their season on the line, however, the Gila Monsters responded emphatically.
Eastern Arizona controlled the fourth set, winning 25-14 to force a decisive fifth. The Gila Monsters carried that momentum into the final frame, pulling away for a 15-4 victory to complete the comeback and end Southern Nevada's postseason run.
Mia Scott provided another strong offensive performance for CSN, recording 14 kills on 55 attempts. Briley Fawson added seven kills and a block assist, while Paige Gates contributed four kills on 12 attempts.
De'Lasia Grider finished with three kills, four block assists and a service ace, while Singleton added three block assists as Southern Nevada attempted to contain Eastern Arizona's attack at the net.
Setter Libbie Ferreiro directed the Lady Coyotes' offense with 41 assists while contributing 13 digs. Madison Ortiz added two service aces and 18 digs, providing a strong defensive presence throughout the match.
Kody Wengler anchored Southern Nevada's back row with a team-high 22 digs, while Isabella Liugalua collected 14 and Chasia Hoapili added eight. The Lady Coyotes finished with 87 digs, reflecting the extended rallies and defensive effort required in the five-set contest.
Eastern Arizona was led by Alicia Chidera Olikagu, who recorded a match-high 18 kills on 42 attempts while hitting .262. Tasha Larsen added nine kills, four service aces and 17 digs, while Léane Fournier delivered a match-high 31 digs.
The Gila Monsters held a narrow 46-45 advantage in kills, but their defensive presence at the net and serving proved decisive. Eastern Arizona recorded 22 block assists and 10 service aces compared with eight block assists and four aces for Southern Nevada.
Both teams struggled to maintain offensive efficiency against strong defensive efforts. CSN finished with a .045 hitting percentage, while Eastern Arizona hit .091. The Gila Monsters also held a slim 89-87 advantage in digs.
Despite the heartbreaking finish, the Lady Coyotes demonstrated their ability to compete in the ACCAC throughout the 2026 season. Southern Nevada earned key conference victories, including a three-match season sweep of Yavapai College and a road victory over Eastern Arizona during the regular season.
The Lady Coyotes also secured the No. 3 seed in the Region 1 tournament, earning a postseason opportunity against one of the conference's top programs.
Southern Nevada concludes its 2026 season with a 12-13 overall record, a 6-6 ACCAC mark and a third-place conference finish, closing a campaign highlighted by competitive conference play and a hard-fought postseason appearance.
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