Panthers win SWL with perfect 10-0 loop record

Panthers win SWL with perfect 10-0 loop record

October 23, 2001

CASEY BAUER, a senior outside hitter on the Montezuma-Cortez High School varsity volleyball team, goes up for a block during Saturday’s game against Montrose in the Southwestern League game in Ron Wright Memorial Gym. Watching her at the net are teammates Lindsey Wilson (8) and Cassie Carver (5). The Panthers defeated Grand Junction High in straight sets and then beat Montrose in two to finish with a perfect 10-0 SWL record and title. MCHS will host the District VII Volleyball Tournament this Friday and Saturday.

By Jim Thomas
Journal Sports Editor

For the fourth time in the last six years, Montezuma-Cortez High School has won the Class 4A Southwestern League regular season title with a perfect 10-0 match record. The no. 2 ranked Panthers, who have only lost one match at Class 3A Arizona power Monument Valley in Kayenta, defeated league-mates Grand Junction High and Montrose Saturday, Oct. 20, in Ron Wright Memorial Gym to complete winning the league title outright.

"We have a good group of kids," MCHS head coach Lindy Mortensen said following the last match of the day. "They have worked hard all season and I feel good about everyone of them."

MCHS took on Grand Junction High in the first match of the day. The Panthers won 15-7, 15-11.

Cortez took a 2-0 lead off a cross-court kill by Casey Bauer and another spike by her. Tiger Melissa Jessup scored a couple quick points for a 2-2 score. The game was tied again at 3-3 before MCHS went on a scoring run. Behind the serving of Merina Lippis, the Panthers went up 7-3. GJHS mounted a comeback to pull within 7-5. Stefanie Allison made an ace and Bauer a kill which put the Panthers ahead 9-5. Before long, MCHS went up 12-6. A final tip by Allison put the game away.

The second game was close for a long time. The Panthers held a slim 7-5 after nearly a half-hour of play. There were several sideouts. The Tigers pulled ahead at 7-9 but MCHS came storming back and tied the game at 9-9 after a kill by Bauer. A block by Allison helped MCHS to go up 11-10. MCHS led 12-11 before finally pulling away behind the serving (two aces) of Allison.

"Grand Junction came in here and went right after us. We seemed to get off to a slow start, but I generally thought the girls were ready," she said.

A few hours later the Panthers were back on the court host Montrose. That match was originally scheduled for Friday, Oct. 19, but was moved to late Saturday afternoon. MCHS won 15-12, 16-14.

Montrose has improved since the first time the two teams which MCHS won easily. Neither team could gain much of an advantage early on. Finally, a cross-court kill by Bauer put the Panthers on the board first at 1-0. With Bauer serving, MCHS jumped out to a 6-0 lead. Bauer had an ace, Lindsey Wilson made a tip and Allison a push for points. The score tightened at 7-3 after Kim Long made a tip. With Sara Klippert serving, the Indians moved out to an 7-8 lead. She made an ace while Erin Hutt made a kill and Amanda Passehl a spike. The game was tied at 9-9 and 10-10 before Montrose went up 10-12. The Panthers caught up and went ahead 13-12 off kills by Allison. A tip by Bauer put MCHS on the brink of the game and Montrose knocked the ball out of bounds which gave MCHS the game.

Cortez again looked strong early as it took a 5-0 advantage. Bauer made a pair of kills and Wilson added another during that run. Leading 5-2, Bauer went to work at the service line. She made a pair of aces. Montrose collapsed by making several mistakes. MCHS now held a 10-2 lead. MHS pecked away and soon was behind 5-10 at which point Mortensen called time-out. MCHS led 13-6 and seemingly had the game in hand. A wide hit by Montrose put MCHS within one point of winning at 14-7. But MHS scored three straight and Mortensen called time again. With Klippert serving, Long made push, Hutt a kill, and Passahl a tip and a block. MHS tied the game at 14-all. A wide hit by Montrose put MCHS back in front at 15-14. Wilson made a push for the win.

Mortensen gave credit to Montrose for improving the way it has and for hitting the ball well.

"But we also hit the ball hard. Our kids stayed right with them because they are mentally tough. That comes with a playing a lot of games last spring, this summer, and now this fall. They have played so many games that they learned the angles. They learned how to play defense. It is something they have worked for. We played smart volleyball today," Mortensen added.

The Panthers will now get ready to host the Class 4A District VII Volleyball Tournament this Friday and Saturday, Oct. 26-27. Members of District VII include Battle Mountain, Delta, Glenwood Springs, Moffat County, Montrose, Palisade, Rifle, and Steamboat Springs.

Regional D Tournament will be held Nov. 3 at either Alamosa or Pueblo and the Class 4A State Volleyball Championships are slated Nov. 9-10 in the Denver Coliseum.

The Class 2A District III Tournament will be held this Saturday in Telluride, which won the San Juan Basin League with a perfect 10-0 mark. Dolores and Mancos finished in a tie for second but the Bears will get the number two seed based on beating MHS at home in two straight games versus MHS winning in three at Dolores during the regular season. Dove Creek will play Nucla in a pigtail game on Wednesday, Oct. 24, which will determine the fourth seed to the District Tournament.

The Blue Jays whipped Norwood 15-0 but settled for a 15-9 win in the second match Saturday at Norwood.

In the first game, Mancos used only two servers - Katie Rosso and Katie Paxton - to beat the Mavericks. Rosso served for nine straight points and Paxton served for the other five.

"We didn’t make any mistakes that first game. We only used two servers. Anything they did hit over, we killed it right back," MHS head coach Mona Shepherd said.

Shepherd started three reserves who normally don’t get a lot of playing time in Cassie Coppinger, Angela Hall, and Jolene Thomas. The Blue Jays jumped ahead early in the second game. Norwood played better as the game progressed and slowly got back in it at 9-9. Shepherd then put her regular starters back in and they finished the game out.

"Our focus will be Dolores, just like it was a year ago, this week in practice. We beat Dolores last year to go to Regionals. After the way the season has gone, we feel confident about beating the no. 4 seed. And it doesn’t really matter about Telluride. Telluride is protected into Regionals. It just doesn’t know if it will finish as the top seed or second seed from our District," Shepherd added.

She was happy about the way the regular season finished.

"We had an 11-4 record. I wish we could have played a couple more games (two were cancelled). But I think we had a pretty good regular season," Shepherd added.

Dolores lost 13-15, 6-15 at Telluride. Telluride’s Kimberly Hall scored 10 points during the match. Sydney Melzer had 12 points. Rhea DePagter made five blocks and Chelsea Padilla had 11 kills. Inga Johannsen had a good serve in the second game.

"I feel good about the regular season," DHS head coach Joye McHenry commented. "I feel real satisfied. I think the girls are peaking right now so I think we will do well at Districts."