Max Zepeda is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Desert Mountain High School for AZPreps365.com

There was a lot on the line for Desert Mountain volleyball as it returned from fall break Tuesday night to battle a struggling Cactus Shadows squad.

Firstly, the Wolves (19-12, 1-3 in section play) were on the verge of their first 20-win season since 2014, long before current head coach Dana Achtzehn took charge of the program.

Secondly, they had a much-needed win to climb back up the section standings with just two weeks of regular season play left.

And finally, they needed to take care of business against a team that had yet to win a match in section play in Cactus Shadows (9-13, 0-5 in section play).

In the end, they were able to pull off all three of these objectives, as the Wolves defeated the Falcons in a four-set grudge match, 22-25, 18-25, 25-20, 25-23.

In a raucous crowd inside Desert Mountain’s auxiliary gym Tuesday, the visiting team seemed to seize control of things early, as Cactus Shadows won its first set against a section opponent in 2023. Multiple close calls at the net and the sidelines that seemed to be all going the Falcons’ way, and according to multiple players, caused them to lose focus on their goal of victory.

Desert Mountain senior outside hitter Aubrey Johnson said postgame that the close calls and early referee involvement were “getting in our way, and when we think about those in the moment, our play is worse.”

However, while the first set was an unexpected roadblock, things clicked again in the Wolves' favor, as they heavily relied on their primary attackers to carry them to victory in a second set that ended up being the most uncontested of the night: a clear response that senior opposite hitter Vivian Adamucci said has been a theme all season long.

“We have responded well all year long in many games, and we have let mistakes early fuel us to get better in future sets,” Adamucci said.

The final two sets proved to be the most nail-biting, as both teams let each other seize the momentum only for clutch plays to flip the game. Two of their players who were critical on this front were junior middle hitter Rory Tower and senior setter Corynne Hausler.

Hausler came into the night leading the 5A Northeast Valley in aces and second in assists, and she said postgame that while the stars should step up in big moments, it is not something they hope to rely on going forward.

“We all have our strong suits and specialize, and I think that is what makes us such a tight-knit team,” Hausler said. “But I feel like every practice we are, like, practicing something new, trying to expand on.”

Wednesday, Desert Mountain will look to reach .500 in section play as it hosts rival Chaparral High, a team it fell to on September 26. While this win is certainly a motivator heading into the rematch with the Firebirds, Achtzehn said this section has been difficult for years and will take much more than momentum to sweep this quick two-game homestand.

“I’m glad we got to 20 wins, but that’s not what I care about,” Achtzehn said. “My biggest focus is if we are ready for the playoffs…we have been battle-tested by this region for years and not made that last push, but if we can put it together starting now, we certainly can.”