MURRIETA — After letting a lead slip away late in the third set of Monday’s Southwestern League girls volleyball match against Temecula Valley, Murrieta Valley coach Ann Romero-Parks talked to her team about staying in each point. Temecula Valley’s Savannah Sheridan spikes the ball against Murrieta Valley defenders during a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. Murrieta Valley won the match 3-2. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Temecula Valley’s Shannon Frary hits the ball over the net during a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. Murrieta Valley won the match 3-2. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Temecula Valley’s Maddy Snow battles at the net against Murrieta defenders during a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. Murrieta Valley won the match 3-2. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Murrieta Valley’s Summer Tukua spikes the ball past two Temecula Valley defenders during a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. Murrieta Valley won the match 3-2. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Temecula Valley’s Savannah Sheridan goes high to hit the ball during a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. Murrieta Valley won the match 3-2. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Murrieta Valley’s Summer Tukua (#25) and Axene Cadence (#28) try to defend against a spike by Temecula Valley’s Savannah Sheridan during a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. Murrieta Valley won the match 3-2. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Murrieta Valley’s Georgia Parks and Temecula Valley’s Zoe Fiala battle for the ball during a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. Murrieta Valley won the match 3-2. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Murrieta Valley’s Axene Cadence goes high after the ball during a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. Murrieta Valley won the match 3-2. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Murrieta Valley’s Summer Tukua spikes the ball during a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. Murrieta Valley won the match 3-2. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Murrieta Valley’s Miley Thunstrum spikes the ball past Temecula Valley defenders during a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. Murrieta Valley won the match 3-2. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Murrieta Valley’s Ryleigh Short (#14) and Axene Cadence (#28) attempt to stop a spike by Temecula Valley’s Alison Chapin during a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. Murrieta Valley won the match 3-2. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Murrieta Valley’s Axene Cadence spikes the ball against Temecula Valley defenders during a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. Murrieta Valley won the match 3-2. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Murrieta Valley’s Ryleigh Short returns a serve during a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. Murrieta Valley won the match 3-2. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Murrieta Valley’s Melanie Hewlett (#13) defends against a spike by Temecula Valley’s Maddy Snow (#6) during a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. Murrieta Valley won the match 3-2. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Temecula Valley’s Volleyball coach Neemias Costa serves the ball during warm up prior to a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Murrieta Valley’s Volleyball coach Ann Romero-Parks prior to a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) TemeculaValley’s Avalon Heintz digs out the ball during a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. Murrieta Valley won the match 3-2. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) The Murrieta Valley team circles up prior to a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Murrieta Valley’s Volleyball coach Ann Romero-Parks talks with her team during a time out at a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Temecula Valley’s coach Neemias Costa talks to his players during a time out at a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Temecula Valley’s Savannah Sheridan spikes the ball during a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. Murrieta Valley won the match 3-2. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Murietta Valley’s Maya Keller (#1) and Summer Tukua (#25) defend against a spike by Temecula Valley’s Savannah Sheridan during a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. Murrieta Valley won the match 3-2. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) The Temecula Valley team circles up prior to a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Temecula Valley players cheer on their team during a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Murrieta Valley’s Axene Cadence (#28) and Melanie Hewlett (#13) defend against a spike during a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. Murrieta Valley won the match 3-2. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Show Caption1 of 25Temecula Valley’s Savannah Sheridan spikes the ball against Murrieta Valley defenders during a Southwestern League girls volleyball game between the Murrieta Valley Nighthawks and the Temecula Valley Golden Bears on Monday, Sept. 30th at Murrieta Valley High School. Murrieta Valley won the match 3-2. (Photo by Nick Koon, Contributing Photographer) Expand The Nighthawks responded during the fourth and fifth sets and pulled out a 20-25, 25-23, 19-25, 25-12, 18-16 victory that gave them sole possession of first place after round one of league play. It was the fifth match between Murrieta Valley and Temecula Valley to go five sets since the 2021 season. Murrieta Valley (20-6 overall, 5-0 in league) has gone the distance nine times this season, with a 7-2 record in those matches. “This team had to learn to fight early against an incredibly difficult nonleague schedule, and those experiences have prepared us for this moment,” Romero-Parks said. “Cadence Axene and Summer Tukua were huge tonight with Miley (Thunstrom) and Ryleigh (Short). “That’s a really good Temecula Valley team and I am so proud of our kids for how they dug deep and found a way to win.” After Maddy Snow’s kill gave Temecula Valley a match point at 14-12, kills from Thunstrom and Melanie Hewlett forced extra points. Capri Ratcliffe’s ace gave the Nighthawks a lead at 15-14 before Ginger Boyd’s solo block spoiled it. Ryleigh Short’s kill gave Murrieta Valley a second set point that Snow saved with a kill. An attacking error by Temecula Valley gave the Nighthawks their third set point. This time they capitalized on a walk-off ace from Thunstrom. Temecula Valley (11-3, 4-1) rallied from a 10-5 deficit in third set, putting together a 13-3 run to take an 18-13 lead. Savannah Sheridan had three kills in that push, while Alison Chapin added a pair. Back-to-back kills from Thunstrom cut the deficit to 18-15, but Temecula Valley responded with a service ace from Avalon Heintz and a kill from Chapin to maintain a comfortable lead. Sheridan’s roll shot on set point gave the Golden Bears a 2-1 lead. After dropping the first set, Murrieta Valley jumped out to a 14-10 lead in the second behind three kills from Thunstrom and three kills and 2 1/2 blocks from Axene. Temecula Valley rallied to tie the set at 18, 21, and 22 before Short’s kill out of the back row tied the match at a set apiece. “I just had a feeling that we’d have to go to five with them today,” Axene said. “We know we’re only halfway there and that there’s a lot more volleyball left but to get through this round undefeated is incredible.” Murrieta Valley found themselves in an early hole in that opening set, trailing 12-5 and recording five early attacking errors. Tukua twice cut the Temecula Valley lead to two points. However, the Golden Bears maintained their lead on a net violation and then a 3-0 spurt which included a combination block between Boyd and Anaya Francois, an ace from Stephanie Gonzalez, and Sheridan’s kill on a roll shot to lead 22-17 as Temecula Valley held on for the opening set win. “This team has such incredible leaders in our seniors and we lean on their experience in matches like tonight,” Tukua said. “They know what to say, how to say it, and I can’t believe how much I’ve learned from them so far this season.” Related Articles High School Sports | Johnson: Predicting this year’s Inland high school football league champions High School Sports | IE Varsity’s high school football rankings, Sept. 30 High School Sports | IE Varsity’s Week 5 football roundup: Big Bear sets state rushing record High School Sports | IE Varsity’s football wrap-up: Stories, scores and photos from Week 5 games High School Sports | Roosevelt football team holds off Colony in final nonleague tune-up Thunstrom had 17 kills with three aces for Murrieta Valley. Tukua added 17 kills with two blocks, while Axene chipped in 11 kills and three total blocks. Sheridan led Temecula Valley with 14 kills and an ace, while Snow added 10 kills. Murrieta Valley is home against Great Oak on Wednesday, while Temecula Valley plays at Vista Murrieta.