Noah Reed is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication student assigned to cover Veritas Prep High School for AZPreps365.com.

PHOENIX – Freshman Harper Perrault stepped up to help Veritas Prep Academy volleyball defeat reigning 2A Valley Region champion Phoenix Country Day 3-2 Wednesday.

Pressure creates diamonds and the Valley Region is a pressure cooker for volleyball. Veritas Prep (20-10) bent, but didn’t break against Phoenix Country Day (18-2). Despite a two-set deficit going into the fourth, Perrault put up a career night in a comeback victory for the Falcons.

“We got nothing to lose,” Perrault said of her mindset going into the fifth set. “I was thinking we got them. We got their name.              

“They got nothing on us.”

The pivotal moment in the final came when the score was tied at 15. Perrault leapt into the air to stop an attack from Phoenix Country Day, blocking the ball and putting Veritas Prep at set point. Moments later, Perrault assisted Falcon senior Mary Hamann with the game-winning block.

“I’m so proud of her," Hamman said of Perrault's performance.

“Her work ethic is every day, 100% in the gym,” Hamann said. “She's going, she's pushing. And I think it's that work ethic that has landed her on varsity as a freshman.”

Perrault scored two aces and six kills while recording two solo blocks and five blocking assists. The freshman was instrumental in forcing a fifth set as the Eagles claimed the second and third.

“In the third set, we came out hot, but we just made a few mistakes,” Perrault said. “But we talked about in the huddle how that's in the past. We're in the present.”

Another factor aided in Veritas Prep success: the Hamann factor. Hamman and her sophomore sister Grace couldn’t be stopped, combining for 38 kills.

“When it comes to crunch time, we can come back,” Mary Hamann said. “I think that is a testament to our hard work, our ethic and how we are as a team.

“When we connect, you can't really break it.”

Veritas Prep took command of Region standings with four games remaining in the regular season, only two of which are versus 2A opponents. The team’s focus is full steam ahead according to head coach Brooks Dockter.

“Enjoy this tonight,” Dockter said. “It's important that we take care of business tomorrow night too, and play our style of game, but we're building the right momentum for the postseason.”

It's a quick turnaround for Veritas Prep, honoring the senior class on Thursday, Oct. 23 at 6 p.m. at home.

As for Phoenix Country Day, a 90% win percentage drops to 86% with three games left on the calendar. The next challenge for the Eagles comes from Horizon Honors (9-21) on Oct. 23.

“Even though we lost, I think we played the hardest volleyball we could,” junior Layla Jarvis said. “The loss definitely gives us stuff to work on and just gets us more fire to win our next game.”

The Eagles certainly had fire with the way they battled from behind on three different occasions, led by Jarvis, who contributed seven kills in the second set. Jarvis also played a role in a nine-point PCD rally in the fourth set to go up 18-13 before Veritas Prep closed out the set..

“I have never lost a fifth set, so it was definitely a big moment for me,” Jarvis said. “I told my team, we're not losing this. It's not happening. Obviously, you don't always get what you say.

“I think some unforced errors happened, but I think the nerves were just so high.”