Xavier's volleyball team began a three-match week and a tournament trip to Las Vegas this weekend with a sleepy victory over a very-tested Mesa High.

Xavier swept host Mesa, 25-16, 25-22, 25-17 on Monday night with coach Lamar-Renee Bryant using virtually her entire squad to keep them as fresh as possible for a their first heavy week of play in the young season.

"This will be a long week for us and everyone has an opportunity to get into it," Bryant said. "Our bench is strong and we are going to need them to step up when they get a chance."

Xavier improved to 5-1 with Monday's win after falling for the first time last week to unbeaten Desert Vista via sweep. Desert Vista did the same thing to Xavier this time last year, but Xavier was able to get the last word at state playoff time by winning the Divison I title. Xavier hosts St. Mary's on Tuesday and travels to Dobson on Wednesday before heading to the prestigious Durango Fall Classic in Las Vegas. Sixty-four teams are entered with 30 of the top teams in the nation among those in the field.

Mesa (5-7), which has faced five of the top 10 teams in D-I already, entered play with a final-four finish in the House of Payne Invitational hosted by Chandler High last weekend. The Jackrabbits faced Corona del Sol in the semifinals, losing 2-1 and played the Aztecs mcuh tougher than they did the first match of the season (a 3-0 loss).

Xavier didn't play its best match of the year to be sure on Monday, but Mesa wasn't able to take advantage with an error-filled match as well.

"I think at one point every player had been in the net except our libero," Mesa coach Amy Strawn said between games and reiterated after the match. "The last game we had four misserves in a row.. We can't win doing that. We have to out-smart and out-work our opponents to win."

It was a strong night for Xavier's setter Callie Jones. Jones led the Gators with eight kills and supplied 18 digs and 20 assists. Libero Kristen Largay contributed 18 digs and three aces. Largay served a run of five points early in the first set to rally Xavier from behind and give it the lead for good.

Bryant switched her lineup each of the three sets and sat junior standout Khalia Lanier in the second set. Lanier managed six kills in the two sets she played as did senior outside Molly Scheel. Both teams had trouble staying out of the net and perhaps that kept the match from more sustained volleys and excitement.

"There were a lot of errors in this one and it was tough having the intensity match what  we experienced this weekend," Strawn said. "We didn't play as well as we could tonight, but I'm pleased for the most part with how we've played overall up to now."

Mesa was within 22-21 in the second set, but a hitting error and kills from Scheel and freshman Lanie Wagner pulled it out for Xavier. Mesa trailed 16-13 in the third set, but four misserves from that point to the finish erased any hope of a breakthrough. 

Mesa's leading attacker for the season is senior Emily Lenz. Lenz got her swings in Monday with 30 attempts. She led Mesa with five kills. Junior setter Autrey Veitel had eight assists.