EASTWOOD SURVIVES PEBBLE HILLS RALLY, WINS THRILLER IN FIVE SETS

By PREP1 Sports October 6, 2026 | Eastwood High School — El Paso, Texas What looked like a straight-set Eastwood victory quickly turned into one of the most dramatic volleyball battles of the District 1-6A season. The Eastwood Troopers defeated Pebble Hills, 3-2, Tuesday night at Eastwood High School, winning the decisive fifth set 15-4 after the Spartans erased an early two-set deficit. THE FINAL SCORE Eastwood 3, Pebble Hills 2 - Set 1: Eastwood 25, Pebble Hills 11 - Set 2: Eastwood 25, Pebble Hills 18 - Set 3: Pebble Hills 25, Eastwood 22 - Set 4: Pebble Hills 25, Eastwood 22 - Set 5: Eastwood 15, Pebble Hills 4 The Troopers appeared to be in complete control after taking the opening two sets, but Pebble Hills refused to go quietly. The Spartans answered by taking consecutive 25-22 sets, forcing a winner-take-all fifth. Then Eastwood slammed the door. The Troopers exploded in the final set, winning 15-4 to secure the five-set victory and another critical district win. Blue Water Healthy Living EASTWOOD'S OFFENSE COMES THROUGH Eastwood received a monster offensive performance from Belle Sanchez, who recorded 24 kills and added 26 digs. Katia Valerio was equally impactful with 17 kills and 26 digs, while Mia Lopez added another 17 kills and 17 digs. At the center of the Troopers' attack was Jovane Estebane, who finished with an impressive 63 assists, 18 digs and four aces, along with three kills. Other Eastwood contributors included: - Kaylee Armendariz: 14 kills, 7 digs, 2 assists, 1 block - Tori Matamoros: 3 kills, 2 digs, 2 blocks - Samantha Jimenez: 2 assists, 8 digs, 1 ace - Kessia Valerio: 16 digs, 4 assists - Ariana Aranda: 2 assists, 6 digs It was a balanced performance from a Trooper squad that needed virtually every player to make an impact. PEBBLE HILLS FIGHTS BACK Pebble Hills had plenty of firepower of its own. Kylah D. led the Spartans with 16 kills, 7 digs and 2 blocks, while Addison P. finished with 12 kills, four digs and a block. Rose A. added eight kills and two digs. Running the offense was Raelyn S., who posted 38 assists, 13 digs and two aces. Defensively, Khyla S. recorded 17 digs, while Alexa O. and Amanda R. each contributed 10 digs. The Spartans' ability to win Sets 3 and 4 made the match a completely different ballgame—but Eastwood's fifth-set response proved decisive. A HUGE DISTRICT WIN The victory moved Eastwood to 23-11 overall and 5-3 in District 1-6A, keeping the Troopers in fourth place and firmly in the playoff picture. Pebble Hills fell to 3-5 in district play. Blue Water Healthy Living With only four district matches remaining, Tuesday's five-set battle carried major postseason implications. Eastwood won the first two. Pebble Hills fought all the way back. But when the match came down to one final set, the Troopers had the answer. Eastwood 3. Pebble Hills 2. Five sets. One playoff-sized statement. 📸 Photo: Gabriel Gaona | PREP1 Network