The Wekiva Mustangs fought hard but dropped their second straight match Tuesday night, falling to Umatilla (14-11) in a tightly contested 3-1 battle. The Bulldogs edged out the Mustangs 25-21, 16-25, 25-23, 26-24 in a match that could have gone either way. 

Despite the loss, Wekiva showed flashes of promise, particularly in the second set, where the Mustangs found rhythm both offensively and defensively to even the match. Junior outside hitter Avianna Mater led the team again with 11 kills, while setter Isabella Espada kept the offense moving with 24 assists.  

From the service line, Sarai McFadden sparked momentum with 5 aces that helped the Mustangs steal the second set and nearly extend the match to a fifth. 

While the Bulldogs ultimately prevailed in extra points in the fourth set, the numbers told an encouraging story for Wekiva. The Mustangs actually outscored Umatilla 93-92 across the four sets, showing how close the match truly was. The front was strong, with Sanchez and McFadden combining for 11 kills and 3 blocks.  

The defense also stepped up, anchored by solid efforts in the back row by Mikayla Rivera and Espada that kept rallies alive and helped Wekiva battle point for point late in the match. 

The narrow loss came just one night after a tough 3-0 sweep at home against Winter Springs (12-11), where Wekiva fell 25-22, 25-17, 25-14.  

The Mustangs came out strong in the opening set, trading points early and keeping within striking distance before the Bears pulled away late. Mater again paced the offense with 5 kills, and Espada contributed 11 assists in the effort. McFadden added two service aces, but the Bears’ size and consistency proved too much as they tightened up defensively and capitalized on Wekiva’s unforced errors in the final two sets. 

Though the final scores from both nights show losses, the two matches highlight growth for the Mustangs. After struggling to sustain energy and execution against Winter Springs, Wekiva responded 24 hours later with one of its most competitive performances of the season. The team showed more balance on offense, greater aggression at the net, and improved serving — elements that nearly lifted them to a comeback win over Umatilla. 

With the back-to-back losses, Wekiva dropped to 5-10 on the season. The Mustangs will host the Oak Ridge Pioneers at 7 p.m. Thursday for senior night.