The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Play at home Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
By Than Acuff
The Crested Butte Titans volleyball team cruised past both Trinidad and Ridgway last weekend and improved to 7-4 on the season thus far. All of this with a variety of different line-ups nearly every match as the team remains in a state of flux due to injuries and illnesses.
The Titans started off the recent stretch of matches at home against the Trinidad Miners and gained momentum over the course of the match to win in straight sets, 25-20, 25-15, 25-8. Mia O’Neil led the team with 14 kills while Mandala Covey Bleiberg and Hailey Huresky tallied seven kills each. Covey Bleiberg and Huresky also recorded four aces each while Mattie Halverson came up with 10 digs and Mylee Clifton had seven assists.
“The team keeps improving and getting stronger,” says coach Sheri Covey. “We are executing a faster offense and learning to play at our own tempo.”
Their opponent for the Titans’ home game on Friday, September 13 was forced to cancel due to extenuating circumstances and the Titans then loaded the bus on Saturday for a road match against the Ridgway Demons.
The Titans maintained their momentum from Thursday’s effort against the Demons building a 10-5 lead in the opening set. A four-point service run by Olivia Reamer helped the Titans maintain their five-point lead and they continued to edge even further away from Ridgway to win the first set 25-15.
Ridgway put up more of a battle to open the second set holding the Titans to a slim two-point lead until Crested Butte outscored the Demons 11-2 down the stretch to win the second set 25-15.
Ridgway came into the third set determined to push the Titans and went toe-to-toe with Crested Butte in a back-and-forth battle. The teams were tied 21-21 when Lilian Voegeli sent a hit deep to the corner to put the Titans back in the lead. O’Neil came up with a kill to make it 24-22 and Crested Butte finished off the set 25-22 to take the match. Covey Bleiberg recorded 21 assists in the match while O’Neil had 14 kills.
“The players are still bringing positivity to the game,” says Covey. “Mia O’Neil and Mandala are hitting with more intensity and we are playing smarter and smarter.”
The Titans have a big week ahead of them as they host Mountain Valley on Saturday, September 21 at 1:30 p.m. in mighty Mt. Olympus, hit the road to face Monte Vista and then return home to host Buena Vista on Thursday, September 26 and Telluride on Friday, September 27.
“We play a series of tough games that will show us how we are measuring up against the better 2A teams in the state,” says Covey. “Heidi (O’Neil) and I are excited to see if they can hold this momentum.”
