Storm volleyball falls to 'Dawgs in semifinal, season comes to a close

RIO RANCHO — The final whistle sounded on Cleveland’s afternoon and season on Saturday at the Rio Rancho Events Center, falling to the Las Cruces Bulldawgs 3-1.

The Storm, after a Friday night loss to La Cueva, had to win three straight matches to take home the state title. It felt like an impossible gauntlet, but after a morning sweep over Volcano Vista, Cleveland found themselves up 1-0 on the undefeated ‘Dawgs.

Unfortunately, that is where the run would end for the electric blue. Behind a next-level front row, Las Cruces took the next three sets on its way to another state title.

A 2025 win for Las Cruces makes it three in a row for the southern New Mexico powerhouse. For Cleveland, it is their sixth straight final-four finish, making every semifinal since 2020.

A statistic that outlines the run the Storm volleyball program has been on: dominant but just on the cusp of breaking through for that blue trophy.

Cleveland finished the season 19-8, taking home first place in District 5A1. Of those eight losses, seven were against either Las Cruces or La Cueva, the eventual state title game matchup.

On the court, it was all about the duo of Azylnn Tittmann and Aaliyah Simpson for the Storm. The future collegiate stars posted career highs this season, with Tittmann crossing the 300 kill mark for the first time, along with Simpson notching triple-digit kills for a career first as well.

Along with fellow senior Miya Branaugh posting a career season at outside hitter, these three seniors may leave fans questioning: How will the Storm replace this much talent?

The answer may be right in front of us. Exit: Tittmann and Simpson. Enter: Tittmann and Del Angel.

Azylnn’s sister, Mila, looks poised to fill her sister’s role. The sophomore recorded over 125 kills to finish second on the team in the category. Lela Del Angel, the freshman middle blocker who split the position with Simpson, finished first on the team in blocks, recording over 60 kills and blocks.

These two are just the tip of the iceberg for Cleveland, with the rest of the roster mainly being made up of underclassmen. Sophomore libero Aspen Maxey recorded 273 digs, with some impressive back-row performances in the process. Junior Molly Maurer posted another great year, now headed into her senior campaign. Along with names such as sophomore Rachel Guevara and eighth grader Ava Denson, these Storm are ready to step up to the plate in the coming seasons.

So, as we sit a year away from the 2026 season, remember: A program like Cleveland’s doesn’t rebuild, they revamp. It could be only a matter of time until we see Cleveland back on the volleyball mountain top.