The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
“I think everyone is really dedicated”
Last season the Crested Butte Titans volleyball team made their first return to regionals since the 2001 season and were knocking on the door of the state tournament.
“We were one match away from state,” says coach Marla Covey.
They finished the year with a 19-7 record, were the Southern Peaks co-champions and took second place at Districts.
This year, the team members have their sights set on another post season run with 22 players and two new assistant coaches joining Covey, Heather Perry and Sonia Eslit. Perry comes from a history of coaching at the club and high school level on the Front Range, while Eslit helped out the middle school last year.
“It’s nice to have them in the program,” says Covey.
Seniors Kelsey Beltz, Sydney Loyed, Hillari Spencer and Ali Turner return to action this year and will share the role of captain, leading the team to another post-season run. “We’ll make it back to regionals,” says Loyed. “Making it to state would be an extra cherry on top.”
While some experience was lost to graduation from last year’s team, Loyed likes what she sees out of her teammates.
“I don’t think we have as much experience playing together but I think our front row is stronger and we have some good hitters,” says Loyed. “I think everyone is really dedicated.”
Covey was impressed with the turn-out during the grueling pre-season workouts and believes the foundation for success is there despite the loss of key players.
“We lost four starters so it’s been a little bit of an adjustment,” says Covey. “I think we have an enthusiastic group and I think they’re committed.”
Furthermore, Covey believes she has eight or nine legitimate starters this season as opposed to her core group of four last year.
“We’re pretty solid,” says Covey. “We’ve got eight or nine starters with a rotating line-up, depending on who we’re playing.”
The Lady Titans open the regular season with a bang as they travel to face Mountain Valley on Thursday, September 3, the same team they tied with for league champions and knocked out of the post season.
“I expect that to be hostile,” says Covey. “We jump into a league deciding match maybe in the first week.”
“We definitely have our hands full on Thursday,” adds Loyed.
The Lady Titans start a five-game home stand on September 17 and then will close the season on the road again.
The Lady Titans’ success this season relies largely upon their ability to maintain their game despite their opponent and Covey is unsure of what is ahead for her squad.
“One thing we struggle with is we play at the speed of our opponent,” says Covey. “I really don’t know what to expect this season. It will be interesting.”
