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Ignacio’s Kelly Sirios (3) deflects the attack of Telluride’s Magnolia Mahoney (5) during the Volleycats’ three-set sweep Saturday afternoon, Sept. 26, at THS.
Though challenged by Telluride’s Teagan O’Dell (23), Ignacio’s Alleah Neil (11) elevates to terminate a Kelly Sirios (3) set during the Volleycats’ three-set sweep Saturday afternoon, Sept. 26, at THS.
Ignacio’s Amira Montoya (5) bump-sets an attack during the Volleycats’ three-set sweep of Telluride on Saturday, Sept. 26, at THS.
Photo Credit: Joel Priest | Special to the Drum
Photo Credit: Joel Priest | Special to the Drum
Photo Credit: Joel Priest | Special to the Drum
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Volleycats topple Telluride in three

Friday - October 2, 2026 by Joel Priest | Special to the Drum

IHS improves to 6-1 in out-of-town outcomes

She didn’t really need to hear it.

But when junior middle/outside hitter Preslie Montgomery heard ‘Jump higher, two-four!’ from the stands after netting an attempted over-pass spike early Saturday afternoon, September 26, in Set 3 she heeded it anyway.

And moments later, Montgomery smashed down an over-pass resulting from a teammate’s serve ricocheting severely off Telluride senior libero Ford Fenton’s forearms. Trailing 5-4 after the punished mistake, THS never again led – inside the MinerDome, no less – in falling 23-25, 15-25, 12-25 to the vaunted Volleycats.

In fact, the Lady Miners got no closer in the third than 7-6, when Montgomery zinged a cross-court swing wide, before she later brought up match point, 24-12, by tooling a kill off THS senior Ellarose Aplin’s block. IHS senior Lainee Bradley then served to freshman Izzie Tyson, one of multiple JV call-ups temporarily replacing at least three unavailable varsity regulars, and after Telluride failed to generate needed offense, IHS senior Kelly Sirios concluded the proceedings with a set dump to the far corner, well out THS junior Teagan O’Dell’s reach.

Arriving rested and recharged from a 25-13, 25-14, 25-9 victory on the 23rd at Ridgway, the ’Cats (9-1 overall, 3-0 2A/1A San Juan Basin League) looked ready from the get-go and built up Set 1 leads of 3-0 and 7-3 before Telluride, attempting to snap a five-match losing streak, suddenly came alive.

Down 12-7 and still not yet having gained the upper hand, THS charged ahead, 14-13, after a sequence involving a fierce O’Dell kill, and three near-perfect service aces of Bradley by junior setter Hazel Noel. IHS head coach Jennifer Seibel quickly used a timeout, and junior Alleah Neil then re-tied the score with a scoring tip shot.

Senior Maliyah Martinez then downed a kill, with junior libero Amira Montoya (rather than Sirios) providing the assist, but the Lady Miners (4-9 overall, 1-3 SJBL) soon pulled even at 17-all when the demonstrative Aplin managed a 1-v-1 block of Neil. Telluride would soon retake a 21-20 lead and Seibel decided to spend her second allotted timeout, with a refocused and opportunistic Sirios then scoring with a sneaky set dump.

But after falling behind 23-21, THS managed to re-tie at 23, via an O’Dell block of Martinez, before Montgomery stuffed O’Dell to bring up set point. THS head coach Lorrie Mahoney burned her second timeout, but the unshaken Montgomery’s serve produced a set-ending lift violation upon its reception.

Fully awakened and alerted to the enemy’s intent, the ’Cats promptly knocked Noel off the service line beginning Set 2 and bolted out to a 6-0 lead. Telluride never got within five points as IHS went wire-to-wire and polished off the set with a Montgomery kill off the top of the net, away from Aplin, and a Bradley tip off Noel near the antenna.

Bradley totaled ten kills and 16 digs in the sweep, while Sirios posted a 25-assist, 16-dig double-double putting her on the verge of 2,000 assists and 1,000 digs for her four-year varsity career. Montoya (17), Martinez (15) and senior Lily Quintana (12) also reached double-digit digs, Martinez and Neil each totaled eight kills, and Neil totaled four blocks (three solo).

Looking ahead, Ignacio will travel to Dolores on Saturday, October 3, for a high-profile triangular involving the Lady Bears as well as 1A Southern Peaks power Sargent. The Lady Farmers stood 11-0 (2-0 SPL) after sweeping San Luis Centennial on the 26th; DHS ripped aforementioned Ridgway 25-9, 25-10, 25-6 on the 26th to improve to 9-2 overall, 3-0 SJBL.

Results from IHS’ home match Thursday, Oct. 1, versus Mancos (7-5, 3-0) were unavailable at press time.

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