SURPRISE, Ariz. – The OUAZ men's volleyball team played a home match for the first time in 2019 and quickly swept crosstown rival Arizona Christian in a non-conference match at Willow Canyon High School.
 
It wasn't the most efficient serving night for OUAZ (1-1) as they committed 21 service errors in completing the 25-12, 25-12, 25-22 sweep. The Spirit countered those errors with 13 service aces to finish two shy of the school record.
 
James Yahner led the Spirit with nine kills on .500 hitting. He added six digs, four aces, and one block in the win for 13.5 points.
 
OUAZ finished with 29 kills as a team and they hit .309. After nine kills in the opening set, the Spirit totaled 10 in each of the next two with .412 hitting in the second set. The Spirit held Arizona Christian (0-1) to only six kills – none in the second set – and forced the Firestorm into negative-.186 hitting.
 
The Spirit tallied 22 digs and three blocks. Joaquin Santa Cruz led the team with seven digs and Bryan Ilena had two blocks. Jacob Smith added five kills with Ilena and Jacob Vander Beek posting four kills apiece.
 
Zack Ludlam led ACU with two kills and six aces in the first-ever match for the program.
 
OUAZ will now prepare for the NCCAA Men's Volleyball Invitational Tournament being held next week in Palos Heights, Illinois. The Spirit are the tournament's No. 1 seed and will face Brewton-Parker in the opener on January 25 at 1 p.m. MST.