Wekiva volleyball’s early-season schedule got tougher Tuesday as the Mustangs hosted a Freedom team that came into the match as one of the top volleyball squads in Central Florida. 

Freedom controlled the match from the opening serve, defeating Wekiva 25-4, 25-11, 25-5 to hand the Mustangs their second loss of the season. Wekiva dropped to 1-2 while Freedom improved to 2-1. 

Despite the difficult night, several Mustangs had an offensive presence. 

Isabella Mancilla, Elyanna Sanchez and Avianna Mater each recorded three kills. Isabella Espada added an ace from the service line. 

The loss came after Wekiva opened its home schedule with a strong performance against Oak Ridge on Aug. 20. 

The Mustangs swept the visiting Pioneers 25-22, 25-13, 25-10 behind a balanced offensive attack. 

Mater led Wekiva with 14 kills and was named the player of the game. The junior was a consistent presence throughout the three sets as the Mustangs earned their first victory of the season in front of the home crowd. 

Mancilla, a freshman right-side hitter, also made an immediate impact in her first varsity home match. She finished with 11 kills in just two sets played. 

Senior Sanchez added eight kills and three aces, while senior setter Isabella Espada kept the offense moving with 34 assists. 

Behind them, senior libero Mikayla Rivera provided a strong defensive presence. Rivera received 19 serves and made several key saves to keep balls from hitting the floor or going out of play. 

The victory over Oak Ridge showed what the Mustangs can do when they establish their rhythm, while Tuesday’s loss provided a reminder of the high level of competition on Wekiva’s schedule. 

The Mustangs have entered one of their busiest stretches of the early season. 

Tuesday marked the beginning of three consecutive game days for Wekiva. The Mustangs traveled to Lake Buena Vista (2-2) on Wednesday night and lost, 3-0, before closing the stretch Thursday night on the road against Cypress Creek (2-1). 

After the demanding three-day stretch, the Mustangs will have an opportunity to regroup and build on their chemistry before they play Jones at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at home.