Aztecs no match for No. 1 Liberty

The Liberty Hawks made sure the Mendota Aztecs knew why they were given the top seed in the Central Section Div. IV girls volleyball playoffs.

The Hawks outscored the Aztecs 75-34 in a three-set first round playoff sweep that took less than an hour to complete Tuesday at Liberty.

Hannah Chase led the Hawks with 13 kills and Olivia Kaczmarek added six to lead the offense. The Hawks’ servers also took advantage of Mendota’s lack of serve receive, registering 13 aces over the three sets, including three each from Chase, Madie Devine and Paige Peterson.

The Hawks took advantage of many Mendota errors to start off the match with an 8-0 lead behind Devine serving. In the eight-point run, Chase had a kill and a solo block. Sadie Vasquez had a solo block and Devine served two aces.

A Kaczmarek kill and a Kaylee White ace opened the lead to 10.

After a Vasquez kill, Tayler Sefton served up five straight points, including an ace. Chase added another kill in the run.

After Mendota got the side out, Chase put down a kill to get the side out back. She had two kills in a set-ending five-point run. Devine had an ace and Tiffany Herron closed the match with a kill for a 25-6 victory.

Mendota took the early 4-2 lead in the second set. However, side out kills from Chase led to a seven-point run. Chase three aces in the run and Herron also had a kill for a 10-5 lead.

After Mendota cut the lead to 14-10, Chase had a solo block for a side out. She also had two kills in a five-point run for a 20-10 lead. Devine had an ace and Herron put down a kill.

Another Chase kill led to a three-point run, including an ace from junior varsity call-up Stephanie Madrigal on her varsity serve and a Kaczmarek kill.

Off great digs from Kaczmarek and Woods, Woods finished out the rally with a kill for a 25-13 victory.

Mendota got the early lead on the Coyotes before White served three straight points for a 7-6 lead. After a Kaczmarek kill, Peterson served three aces in a six-point run that included a Woods solo block.

Leading 17-10, the Hawks went on a seven-point run to get to match point. In the run, Madrigal recorded another ace and the Hawks got kills from Kaczmarek, Chase, Sefton and Herron and a dual block from Chase and Herron for a 24-11 lead.

Mendota got the side out and scored five straight points before the Hawks closed the match with a Chase kill for a 25-15 victory.