Both coaches agreed after the match Wednesday night between Division III volleyball power-ranking unbeatens Horizon Honors and Fountain Hills the outcome could have gone either way. 

This battle did go Horizon Honors way as it won two of the final three sets at crunch time to post a 25-18, 25-22, 22-25, 25-22 victory over host Fountain Hills.

Horizon Honors kept a perfect power-ranking match record intact as well as its overall record for the season. The Eagles are 15-0 overall and 8-0 in power-ranking matches. Fountain Hills is 15-6, 6-1. The teams entered the match 1-2, respectively, in the first power-rankings released on Tuesday.

"Anyone could have won this match," Horizon Honors coach Kris Maglunog said. "So far this has been our toughest match. We played our hearts out. Fountain HIlls is a great team. I thoought we adjusted well and made crucial digs and blocks when we needed them."

Horizon Honors, making the move up to D-III from D-IV, possessed a more seasoned team than Fountain Hills. with a half-dozen players with ample playing time in 2014. Opposite-setter Alexa Smythe, one of the Eagles' returnees from last year's D-IV quarterfinal team, enjoyed a huge night with 15 kills, 16 assists and five blocks. Smythe contributed five kills and an ace in the decisive set and was in on the match-clinching block with teammate Danielle Moran. Moran finished with nine kills and four blocks and Alexis Gomes added eight kills. Setter Michelle Ogle had 25 assists and libero Guiliana Castronova had 25 digs. 

It was Horizon Honors ability to put together a few more runs that was decisive. The first set never had a difference more than two points until Smythe's turn to serve came around for the second time. She served six successive points, including two aces, to put Horizon Honors up 21-14. The Eagles cruised in finishing the set.

Fountain Hills notched an early lead in the second set (9-5), but Horizon Honors rebounded to take a 20-15 lead. Freshman Gabriella Castronova, who routinely slaps the ball twice before she serves, served three successive points capped by an ace. Fountain HIlls quickly tied the set at 20, but kill and block from Moran and set-point kill from Lindsay Zumwalt put Fountain Hills in a tough spot.

That spot got tougher early in the third set as Horizon Honors bolted to a an 8-1 lead. Sweep was not far away. Fountain Hills coach Pete McGloin knew better. In fact, McGloin didn't call for a timeout during that stretch. And a few minutes later his team was up, 9-8. Fountain HIlls lost the lead again late (18-16), but three kills (Kelsey Schultz, Jenn Stricker and Amara Feyrer-Melk bought the Falcons another set.

"The match was painful at times, but I know from earlier matches this team fights back. We have six sophomores and freshmen in our rotation. We're learning together and getting closer and closer to our best. We didn't play our game all the time tonight. That was the difference."

Fountain HIlls trailed by six (16-10) in the fourth set, but again rallied to tie a final time at 22. Horizon Honors reeled off the final three points to deny a fifth set.

One stat that stood out in the end was the difference in serving. Horizon Honors came up with 14 aces and Fountain Hills managed two, an off-night in that department according to McGloin.

Fountain HIlls was led on the attack by sophomore outside KC McMahon with a match-high and season-high 22 kills and Feyrer-Melk had eight kills. Setter Rylie Bell had 24 assists.