JACONA — What's the number you want first?

Is it 1,100, the approximate number of people that almost filled both sides of the lower bleachers inside Ben Luján Gymnasium on Thursday?

Is it $5,000, the estimated amount the Dig Pink volleyball match raised that will be sent to The University of New Mexico Cancer Center and the Española Cancer Fund, in the name of Melissa Ainsworth and all the women who are battling cancer?

Is it 25-17, 25-14, 28-26, the final score of the District 2AAA match between the Elkettes of Pojoaque Valley High School and the Lady Horsemen of St. Michael's?

Is it 9-0 and 18-1, the district and overall record of the Elkettes, who are one match away from their fifth straight 10-0 2AAA season?

On a night of numbers, it was two words that mattered most.

"Thank you," Brian Ainsworth said.

If the Pojoaque Valley head coach said those two words once, he said them at least 1,000 times. Each and every time, those words came from his heart.

Brian Ainsworth is the husband of Melissa Ainsworth, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in August.

Brian Ainsworth is the father of Briana, 13, and Justin, 9.

Brian Ainsworth is the head coach of the Elkettes.

"OMG," Ainsworth said to the pink-tinted crowd, using the popular acronym of texters all over the world. "Oh My Gosh. This is unbelievable. This shows that the community does care. In the name of everyone involved, thank you."

After his Elkettes won their 14th match in a row, Ainsworth was still in awe.

"I can't say thank you enough for everyone who showed up and for everyone who contributed," he said. "A lot of people came together tonight."

Only the net was a divider. Then again, it had to be.

There is still a volleyball season in progress, one that has seen the Elkettes distance themselves from the rest of Class AAA, one that has the Lady Horsemen (10-9, 4-5) fighting for their state tournament lives.

And, everything the Elkettes do to the best of their abilities was displayed. Maybe not for a full three games, but enough to control the match until the home stretch, when the Lady Horsemen did not ride quietly into the night.

Aimee Geyer is as a good a hitter as there is in AAA. And with her team down 2-0 in games and 21-20 on the scoreboard, Geyer parlayed back-to-back kills and a block kill for 23-21. Amber Tassel's service winner presented St. Michael's with its first game point, 24-21.

Tassel's service error followed her winner.

Kira Trujillo followed with a tip.

Dionna Montoya followed with a kill.

Trujillo followed with a kill after Miquella Lovato dug Geyer.

In volleyball's version of follow the leader, the Elkettes now led 25-24.

Geyer's kill squared the score.

Marissa Romero's tip off an overpass untied the knot.

Monique Romero's block drew the 15th tie of the game.

The match lasted two serves, with a Liz Gomez block stopping the Lady Horsemen once and for all.

"Liz dominated on the defensive side of the net," Ainsworth said of his junior middle hitter. "She touched a lot, a lot of balls tonight. She was awesome."

Gomez finished with seven blocks for kills, seven spikes for kills. She was at her best in the second game, when the Elkettes stitched together nine straight points and fashioned a 20-9 advantage.

After Montoya sandwiched blocks around a St. Michael's hitting error, then drove another spike for a kill down the line, Gomez followed with a kill, a block kill and a kill after keeping the point alive with a pair of blocks.

Trujillo is the other middle. She was the offense to Gomez's defense, recording 12 kills.

Montoya drilled 15 kills from the outside, while Tamarra Vigil chipped in seven.

"Dionna had a beautiful, beautiful match," Ainsworth said.

Not to be overlooked is Lovato, the 5-foot-3 (wink, wink) senior libero, who is the best at what she does in the state. And, Marissa Romero, who is coming into her own as a setter.

"The opportunities she gives our setters is remarkable," Ainsworth said. "We run such a complicated system, yet she creates so many chances for our hitters. She's had a phenomenal, phenomenal year."

Romero finished with 43 assists.

Chela Butler, St. Michael's head coach, knew her Lady Horsemen were in for a tough night. But she also knows that her Lady Horsemen were the last team to pin a 2AAA loss on the Elkettes, who are 52-1 in the district, including the postseason tournament.

So, what does it take? She got a glimpse in the third game.

"We served tougher and we passed better," Butler said.

St. Michael's was missing its middle, 6-0 sophomore Alexa Chavez, who sprained her MCL. Chavez is expected back Saturday, when the Lady Horsemen cap their regular season at home against West Las Vegas.

"She brings a real calmness to the team," Butler said. "We really miss that."

Here's a number no one talked about Thursday. Well, no one, save for Ainsworth.

Four.

That's the number of seniors Ainsworth will honor Saturday afternoon against Raton.

"You think tonight was emotional," Ainsworth said. "That's a special, special group. I don't know how I'm going to get through it."

Most likely, two words at a time.

The words?

Thank you.

Contact Pancho Morris at 986-3089 or pmorris@sfnewmexican.com.