The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Record improves to 6-4
The Titans hit the road last Saturday for a dual match against Sierra Grande and Sargents. In their relatively short history in the Southern Peaks League, the Titans and the Sierra Grande Panthers have had several epic five-set matches, and the Sargent Farmers were second in the league and district last season.
After struggling with falling behind quickly in several earlier matches early in the season, the Titans stepped up their intensity and focused on not giving up any big runs to either team. Saturday proved to be a good day for the Titans, who worked to finish both teams in straight sets and improved their record to 6-4.
The first match pitted the Titans verses the Panthers. The Titans had worked on controlling smaller sets within each set in practice all week. The Titans goal was to try to win each mini-set and be the first team to 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25.
The plan seemed to work and the Titans and Panthers stayed within three points of each other for most of the match. The Panthers had just inched ahead 21-20 when senior co-captain Toni Brown stepped back to the service line and rattled off four big points and the Titans pulled ahead 24-21. The Titans finished the set on the next side out 25-22.
The Titans continued to work on the mini-set plan and keep at least a small lead through the next two sets and were able to beat the Panthers in the final two sets 25-19 and 25-18. Aside from Brown, other Titans provided strong serving with both junior Cassidy Dodds scoring nine points in the match and junior Sara Sherman leading the team, scoring 11 points with no service errors.
Next the Titans would battle the home team, the Sargent Farmers. Sargent has had a strong volleyball program in the Southern Peaks League for many years. The Titans knew very little about the new Farmers, led by a new coach and a young team.
Both the Titans and the Farmers played tentatively as the set started, trading serves back and forth. Sherman stepped back behind the service line with the Titans down 9-10 and served the Titans into a 16-10 lead before the Farmers battled right back to a 16-16 tie. The Titans and Farmers continued to battle with long rallies for the next few points before the Titans took the first set 25-21.
It was a similar scenario in the second set as the Farmers and the Titans traded off taking small leads in the set before the Titans pushed through to take the second set 25-21.
Being on the ropes, the Farmers started playing tentatively and the Titans were prepared and picked up their intensity. Senior Skylar Kraatz had two of her four total solo stuff blocks against the Farmers setter, who tried to surprise the Titans with second ball dumps. Setter Cassidy Dodds fed sets to sophomore outside hitter Lindsey Kopf, who had the hot hand. Kopf led the Titans with seven kills in the match. Kraatz and Sherman continued to frustrate the Farmers hitters by presenting a strong front blocking line. Senior Klara Wohlers picked up several tough balls to keep two key rallies alive before sophomore Ali McGuire stepped into the final set to finish off the Farmers with three strong serves, 25-17.
With no time to relax and having just reached the halfway point of the regular season, the Titans take on two strong opponents this week. On Thursday, September 22 the Titans will host a solid Del Norte team (6-2) with JV starting at 4 p.m. and varsity immediately after at 5 p.m. Then on Friday, September 23 the Titans hit the road for a rematch against the league leading Sanford Indians (8-1).
