Desert Vista rallies against Xavier but falls in five sets as Ortiz reaches 2,000 assists
October 23, 2026 by Amanda Lopez, Arizona State University
Amanda Lopez is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Desert Vista for AZPreps365.com
PHOENIX — Desert Vista girls volleyball rallied from a 13-point opening-set loss to take a 2-1 lead against Xavier College Prep on Thursday, but the Thunder could not finish the comeback, falling 15-12 in the deciding fifth set.
Despite the loss, the match marked a milestone for senior setter Emerson Ortiz, who reached 2,000 career assists. Ortiz finished with 45 assists and 15 digs, helping the Thunder win the second and third sets after dropping the opener 25-12.
“I’m really excited about it,” said Ortiz of reaching the milestone. “I think it just shows how far our team has come throughout the year, and I’m really glad that I got to share it with them in my senior season.”
Desert Vista entered the match looking to respond after being swept by Xavier in its previous meeting. This time, the Thunder adjusted their blocking schemes and used more substitutions to improve their depth.
Xavier controlled the opening set but Desert V...