Desert Academy topples NMSD

The Desert Academy volleyball team was almost a victim of its own success Tuesday night.

What started off as routine became a grueling 25-13, 25-12, 24-26, 20-25, 15-8 win over New Mexico School for the Deaf in the District 2A Tournament quarterfinal in Larson Gym.

The third-seeded Lady Wildcats (9-13) play at No. 2 Victory Christian Thursday at 5 p.m.

After a slow start, the Lady Roadrunners evened the match at two games apiece with the help of 18 of Caldonia Wilding's 20 kills. But Desert Academy sophomore Estrella Flores had nine straight points on serve to open Game 5.

"I think our problem was that we got a little overconfident," Lady Wildcats head coach Stacy Brossy said. "We were able to rally in the fifth game and get our heads straight behind Estrella's great serving."

Maredith Davis and Sasha Vidisheva led the Lady Wildcats' hitting attack with six kills each. Mia Fernadez had 14 assists and five kills for NMSD.

"It hurt to end our season like this, just as we were getting better," NMSD head coach Stacy Nowak said. "We return everyone next year, so that should be an interesting run."

Tafoya, Scottsdale make championship

Rod Tafoya did his part, but a former Cy Young Award winner garnered the spotlight.

Tafoya, a Santa Fe resident, pitched five innings for the Scottsdale (Ariz.) Finest, in a semifinal of the 35-and-over Men's Senior Baseball League World Series on Tuesday. It was Mark Davis, the 1989 National League Cy Young winner for the San Diego Padres, who hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to give Scottsdale a 6-5 win over the South Bay (Calif.) Cubs.

Tafoya, 45, gave up three runs on hour hits and a walk while striking out two, but his team trailed 5-2 heading into the ninth. Two singles and a triple before Davis cleared the bases.

Scottsdale plays for the championship on Friday, as it waits for the winner of the loser's bracket to emerge.