The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
“They played better as the match continued”
[ by Than Acuff ]
After a stretch of tough matches including dropping a couple of close ones, the Crested Butte Titans volleyball team tallied a win in a tight match over the weekend.
They opened a two-game road stretch against the Del Norte Tigers on Friday, September 30. The Tigers are sitting at the top of the standings with a record of 5-0 in league play and played like that against Crested Butte taking the Titans in straight sets 25-10, 25-14, 25-17.
“We played down, played flat and couldn’t get any momentum going,” says coach Sheri Covey.
The Titans remained on the road that evening with their first and only overnighter this season and Covey saw a slight shift in the team dynamic in the right direction.
“The overnighter was a positive experience and really helped them,” says Covey.
The Titans carried the energy from the night before into their match on Saturday, October 1 against the South Park Burros winning the opening set 25-22. Tough times set in though and the Titans started unraveling as they dropped the next two sets 25-22, 25-19.
“We missed eight serves in one game and you can’t give the opponent eight points like that,” says Covey.
Remarkably, in a sport rife with momentum swings, the Titans turned the match back in their favor to win the fourth set 25-22 forcing a fifth and final set and won the fifth set 15-13 to seal the match win.
“They played better as the match continued,” says Covey.
Annie Collins racked up a season high nine blocks in the match, Ellie Duryea and Blakeley Reynolds led the team in kills, Olivia Reamer added in an additional 12 kills and 11 digs while Kate Duryea came up with key passes throughout the match and Matelise Halvorson stepped to line for some crucial serves.
“Olivia moved to the left and she’s just put in a magnificent and positive effort that helped the whole team, she was a ray of sunshine all day,” says Covey. “And Mandala (Covey-Bleiberg) is pushing the ball out to our hitters so consistently. She, Ellie and Blakeley have been so consistent for us.”
While gritting out a five-set win bodes well for the Titans, Covey is still waiting for a true team dynamic to develop.
“They still haven’t got what it means to back each other,” says Covey. “But more players on the court are getting it, it’s starting to happen, and when you do that, it keeps momentum steady.”
The Titans have a match against Custer County before they head into the October Break. Following the break, they close the season with matches against Ridgway on October 25 and finish at home with senior and parent night against Gunnison on October 27.
“Right now, we have the potential to win a couple more if they can just rise to the level they’re capable of,” says Covey.
