Titans spikers battle against Mountain Valley but fall 3-1

Rebound with win over Moffat

When the Lady Titans volleyball team headed to Saguache to take on the Mountain Valley Indians on their home turf, everyone expected a tough match. That was especially so after the Titans learned the day before that they were ranked fourth in the state.

The Titans seemed rattled in the first game, with senior tri-captain Kaitlin Councilman coming up with only two assists in the game. While the number of spike attempts tallied in the same range as their other games this season, they converted a mere three kills while hitting five out, and they lost the first game 15-25.
But in the second game, Crested Butte started to find its groove, more than doubling its number of kills and digging up some of the Indians’ harder-hit balls. Senior tri-captain Mackenzie Mailly continued to showcase her defensive game, making Councilman’s job setting easier than in the first game. Still struggling from the service line, though, the Titans dropped the second game 21-25 on a missed serve.
After a closer second game, the Titans’ confidence soared into the third. With long rallies, seven blocks, ten kills, three aces, and five digs, it was no surprise when they won the game 25-17. Five of the six starting players converted two kills apiece, and tri-captains Katie Vandervoort, Mailly, and Councilman all had perfect hitting percentages and Vandervoort blocking the Indians’ strong hitter twice.
The Titans looked good into the fourth and final game. Both teams showed great tenacity but in the end, the momentum went in Mountain Valley’s favor, and they won the game 25-22 to end the match.
Commenting on the match, coach Marla Covey said, “It was good to have a tough battle against a strong opponent. The first match against Mountain Valley was the first weekend of the season and we won but each game was within two and three points. We knew playing in Saguache would be challenging and difficult. We didn’t capitalize on some chances when we needed to, but we also didn’t quit, and we fought every point.”
And the Titans continued to fight every point the next day at home against Moffat, albeit a bit more handily, with Moffat bringing only six girls to play in Crested Butte.
In the second and third games, the Titans only added to their impressive stats, with Mailly putting down seven of the team’s 17 kills and taking 19 total spike attempts. Junior Hillari Spencer picked up a pair of assists and a pair of kills as the Cowboys directed their hits at Councilman’s setting position and senior Chelsea Dill and junior Sydney Loyed were both perfect from the service line. The Titans breezed through the match in straight games, 25-15, 25-21, and 25-14.
The Titans travel to Sierra Grande in Moffat for another four-match day on Saturday, October 4.