Matadors volleyball off to perfect 13-0 start

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - The Arizona Western College volleyball team could not have asked for a better start to the 2026 season.

Under head coach Lorayne Chandler, the Matadors have opened the year with a perfect 13-0 record, marking the hottest start of Chandler’s tenure and positioning Arizona Western among the top teams in the NJCAA.

Despite the impressive record, Chandler has maintained a measured approach to the team's success.

“The pressure’s always there,” Chandler said. “You gotta choose your hard, so it’s hard being 13-0. It would be hard being 0-13, so we’re just doing what we can with what we got.”

The Matadors have quickly established themselves as a national contender. Arizona Western opened the season by winning its first six matches without dropping a single set before continuing its unbeaten run through a series of more competitive victories that helped the program earn a spot in the NJCAA Top 20 rankings.

Chandler credited the team’s resilience and culture for the strong start.

“We're thrilled with how much adversity they've been able to push through, how much grit they've shown, and, you know, our team culture right now is looking pretty positive,” she said.

Now ranked at No. 18, the success has not come by accident. Players and coaches point to the hard work put in throughout the offseason and during daily practices as the foundation for the team's early achievements.

For sophomore setter Noemi Marinho, who transferred into the program knowing Arizona Western’s long history of success, the undefeated start has exceeded expectations.

“It’s just amazing - like a dream because I wasn’t expecting that, but me and the girls - we really work hard every day,” Marinho said.

The Matadors have also made an early statement in conference play. Arizona Western is 3-0 in conference matches, highlighted by a recent victory over Central Arizona College. The win carried added significance after the Matadors lost to Central Arizona four times last season, including in the Region I semifinals.

Following the victory, Chandler reflected on how far the team has come since last season’s disappointing finish. She shared a message with sophomore Nanami Nobuhara that she had originally sent after the Region I semifinal loss.

“I sent her a screenshot after the game, and in that screenshot I had just told her to keep her head up, that I knew she was working hard and I promised her a better season this season,” Chandler said. “It was a great feeling to be able to send her that screenshot and have her remember how she felt last year and how she feels now.”

While the victory over Central Arizona provided a significant boost of confidence, Chandler emphasized that maintaining consistency remains the team's top priority as conference play intensifies.

“All the games are important, so just trying to keep the focus,” Chandler said. “Whether we’re playing a Central, a CSN, an Eastern, the name shouldn’t matter, but the consistency that we want them to play with is really important.”

Marinho said the team understands the pressure that comes with protecting an undefeated record but believes staying focused on enjoying the game has helped the Matadors remain successful.

“Every game, me and the girls — I’m pretty sure they feel nervous because we are doing really good,” Marinho said. “But then most of the time I think we just keep thinking, let’s have fun and do what we love to do.”

Arizona Western will look to keep its perfect season intact when it hosts 7-3 Yavapai College at “The House” on Friday night.