Bears pull out straight sets over Mancos

Bears pull out straight sets over Mancos

October 11, 2001

AMANDA CROSS (12) of the Dolores varsity volleyball team dribbles the ball as she gets ready to serve Tuesday night in a key Class AA San Juan Basin League volleyball match in the Mancos Performance Center. Cross, an outside hitter for the Bears, helped Dolores to a 16-14, 15-8 win over the Blue Jays.

By Jim Thomas
Journal Sports Editor

The first game between Mancos and Dolores Tuesday night, Oct. 9, almost came down to which team would serve the ball the best. They both did not serve well in their Class AA San Juan Basin League game in the Mancos Performance Center. But Dolores pulled out a 16-14, 15-8 win which avenged a home loss to the Jays (15-8, 11-15, 11-15) back on Sept. 18.

Ironically the first point scored by the Bears was a nice service ace "into no-man’s land" by Ashley Smith. But things went right down hill from the service line from there. Mancos made two out-of-bounds serves in a row and then put another into the net. Dolores also made a lot of service errors. Ironically, again Mancos’ first point of the game came off a service ace by Angela Hall. The score was tied 2-2 before the Blue Jays capitalized on some hitting mistakes by the Bears. MHS moved out to a 7-2 lead. DHS coach Joye McHenry called time-out with Mancos on top 9-4.

A few minutes later a kill and a tap by Dolores’ Amanda Cross made the score 10-8 with the Jays still leading. Mancos scored the next two points and again McHenry called time. After some more service mistakes, Dolores got on a roll with Jennifer Cross serving. Tracy Everett made a tap, Smith spiked one for a kill and soon MHS coach Mona Shepherd called her troops in to get reorganized with Mancos holding on to a 13-11 lead. A kill by Amanda Cross tied the game at 13-all. Mancos went up 14-13 but DHS tied it again at 14-14. Amanda Cross made another kill and then a bad set by Mancos ended the very long game.

"The serving was not very good, certainly not for a varsity team," McHenry said following the match. "The girls never gave up when they got down. But they worked hard."

After the teams traded several sideouts at the start of the second game, Mancos got on the board first when Katie Ross made a slam for a kill. Smith tied the game at 1-1 with an ace serve (both teams served better in this game). DHS was soon up 5-1 thanks to an ace by Amanda Cross and a kill by Smith. MHS took a time with DHS up 6-1. The Jays scored the next two points. Behind the strong serving of Smith and Everett, Dolores went up 12-3. Smith recorded two aces, Amanda Cross made a kill, and Everett made a set over the net for a point during the run. Dolores extended its lead to 14-3.

Suddenly, the Jays got hot. Katie Paxton served and her teammates responded. Lacey Morris made a kill, Rosso a kill while Dolores made several miscues. DHS took a time at 14-8. The Bears put a ball into the net which gave Mancos another point. After five sideouts, Dolores finally scored the winning point when Joni Everett made a tip.

"Our serving improved for the second game. Mancos also served better. Amanda played nice ball and it was good to have Sarah (Nielson) back in the lineup (she missed a few games because of an ankle injury). I thought Mancos hit very hard. They used to be a tip team but not any more," she added.

Dolores had an easy time with Norwood at home last Saturday. The Bears clobbered the Mavericks 15-0, 15-2.

"The game went quickly," McHenry said.

Although the Blue Jays won easily over league-foe Nucla on the road this past Saturday, Oct. 6, Mancos High School head coach Mona Shepherd was a little worried about the overall intensity of her team.

"I guess if I have to summarize the match, it was a good win but I was worried about our intensity level. We just didn’t have that intensity like we do when we play Dolores or Telluride. We played okay and did a lot of nice things but mentally we just seemed to go through the motions," she commented.

Nucla, which had several seniors leave the team and another couple transfer to Telluride, is having a down year. The Blue Jays crushed the Mustangs 15-3, 15-4.

Shepherd was quick to credit Jori Yeomans with having a good match. She made seven kills and had an 80 percent kill mark. She also said Katie Rosso played a very steady game.

The Jays will visit league-leading Telluride at 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12. They will return home for their final home match of the regular season on Oct. 16 against Dolores County. They end the regular season at Norwood on Oct. 20. The Bears play a non-conference match at Piedra Vista in Farmington on Oct. 16. They travel to Telluride on Oct. 20 for their league final contest of the season.

The Wildcats of Fruita-Monument dropped their fifth consecutive match to fall to 0-5 in the Southwestern League with a 15-6, 15-9 loss to Montezuma-Cortez this past Friday, Oct. 5, in Fruita.

"It was a slow match with not a lot of rallies," MCHS head coach Lindy Mortensen reported.

The Panthers led all the way in the first game. During the second contest, Mortensen said her girls suffered through a lull in play but then recovered and won.

"I think the girls knew they did not play a very good game. They won but they knew they could have played better. We did not read the off-speed hits and the deep balls," she added.

Casey Bauer finished the match with 14 kills. Merina Lippis played well and made eight digs. Sarah Faber led Fruita with 10 kills and three solo blocks in the Southwest League match.

The Panthers crushed Grand Junction High Saturday, Oct. 6, by scores of 15-5, 15-4.

"The girls came out ready to play. We played with ball control. The whole team played very well," she said.

Bauer made 16 kills. Stefanie Allison made five and Colette Hall four kills and had four digs.

The Panthers hosted Pagosa Springs on Oct. 2 in Ron Wright Memorial Gym. The Panthers crushed the Pirates 15-1, 15-4. Pagosa did have an outside hitter who was sick and did not make the trip to Cortez, though. The Pirates took MCHS to three matches the first game of the season on Aug. 30 by scores of 10-15, 16-14, 15-7.

"We dominated play," Mortensen said. "We really played good defense."

Bauer made 10 kills. Cassie Carver took over setting duties and played a good game. She made six digs and had many assists. Allison made five kills and Hall had two blocked shots.

The Panthers host SWL foe Central of Grand Junction at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12. It will be parent’s night. The Panthers host Fruita at noon Saturday, Oct. 13, for another league match.

A home game with Montrose has been changed from the original schedule. The Panthers were slated to host the Indians on Oct. 19 but that game has been moved to 3:45 p.m. on Oct. 20. The Panthers will still host Grand Junction High at noon that day as originally scheduled.