Having already surpassed by a long shot last season’s win total, the hyper-energized Ignacio Volleycats will begin their 2023 postseason push traveling, but to a familiar destination – an intangible which could actually work in their favor.
After closing out regular-season play with three consecutive victories, and six in eight total October outings to date, IHS will next see action on Saturday, Nov. 4, in Edwards at Vail Christian – the same place the Volleycats’ 2022 campaign ended – as the crew challenges both VCHS and Byers for the Class 2A-Region IX title, and thus a spot in the fast-approaching CHSAA State Championships up in Denver.
Seeded 16th in the State Tournament’s opening Round-of-36, Ignacio (17-6 overall) will first face No. 28 Byers (10-13) in the day’s second match, following BHS’ bout with No. 9 Vail Christian (17-4). IHS will then challenge the hosting Lady Saints inside Thomas Morgan Wheeler Arts & Athletic Center in what could be the deciding clash.
And should it all boil down to a showdown against the Western Slope League champion, Jennifer Seibel’s ’Cats will know they’ve been playing outstanding volleyball to reach that stage.
Most recently, Ignacio hosted Telluride on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 28, and swept the Lady Miners 25-15, 25-14, 25-11 to finish with a third-place 8-3 mark in all 2A/1A San Juan Basin action, and a runner-up (to Mancos) 6-2 in 2A SJBL play. Dipping to 10-11 overall, THS ended up a fourth-place 6-5 against the whole league and a third-place 4-4 against its 2A side.
Junior Ollyvia Howe downed a team-high eight kills against Telluride, while Solymar Cosio and Maci Barnes were each credited with five and Kacey Brown three in their Senior Day match. Freshman setter Kelly Sirios was credited with 25 assists.
Defensively, Cosio totaled three blocks (1 solo, 2 assisted), while Barnes, Howe and senior Darlyn Mendoza-Lechuga each logged nine digs. Sirios totaled seven, Cosio and Brown had six apiece, and freshman libero Lily Quintana five.
From the service line, Mendoza-Lechuga, Sirios and Brown were each credited with three aces.
Just two days before, IHS traveled east to non-league 2A Sargent, also very successful this fall. But even on their home floor, the Lady Farmers couldn’t out-work the ’Cats, who prevailed 25-23, 14-25, 25-17, 28-26 – dropping SHS to 16-7 overall.
Barnes smacked eight kills and Cosio seven, and Howe contributed six as Ignacio looked to offset Sargent’s 1-2 punch of junior Makayla Brown (19 kills) and freshman Kandace Pargin (11). Sirios was credited with 29 assists; counterpart Reese Anderson was credited with 42.
With defense prolonging rally after rally after rally, dig totals were greatly inflated on both sides of the scorebook. Howe, for example, was credited with a match-high 35 digs while Barnes and Mendoza-Lechuga each reached 20. Pargin (23) and Makayla Brown (21) did likewise but trailed senior Azzy Lister (24) for the team lead.
At the net, Cosio was dominant and finished with a reported nine blocks while Kacey Brown was credited with five.