IHS starts ’25 splitting two home matches
Giddy about her team’s chances for success at the upcoming Denver Christian Invitational, at the time more than a week away, Ignacio Volleyball head coach Jennifer Seibel knew any and all momentum her varsity could generate for itself leading into the anticipated trip to Lakewood would only improve the squad’s odds.
And though the Volleycats’ 2A/1A San Juan Basin League opener Tuesday evening, Sept. 2, at Mancos had gone final after the submission deadline for the 9/5 Drum, they nonetheless hit the road for the important early-season showdown still riding high after having secured their first victory in the young 2025 season just a few days earlier.
“We’re getting game-prepped for that. We’ve got practice tomorrow, practice Monday, and we are just focused on our game, as always, and just preparing to play our best,” said Seibel, speaking after IHS’ four-set win Thursday afternoon, Aug. 28, over visiting Del Norte. “We have that anticipation of (facing MHS junior standout) Bailey (Beh), you know; it’s always fun to play against her, and she offers such great competition for my girls.”
“They’ve also got a pretty solid libero, and a new setter – a freshman – so we’ll see how it pans out. But we’re excited.”
“Last year … they won one, we won one, so I’m excited to see how we do. If we play like we did tonight, I think we have a good chance,” junior Lainee Bradley said. “But it’s still going to be a good game.”
“I’m excited to play them. Start league off well,” said junior libero Tarah Baker.
Bouncing back well from a season-opening 15-25, 12-25, 25-18, 19-25 loss on the 26th inside IHS Gymnasium to 3A Montezuma-Cortez, Ignacio shook off a second-set setback two days later and ultimately dealt DNHS its first loss this fall. Having knocked off both perennial Class 1A force La Veta and 2A Rocky Ford the previous weekend, the Lady Tigers couldn’t keep pace during the third and fourth sets against IHS as the ’Cats prevailed 25-20, 17-25, 25-17, 25-11.
“It was a game of momentum, like all volleyball. We had some really, really big ups and got momentum on our side, but when we lost that momentum, we never got it back,” said second-year Del Norte head coach and former Sanford basketball star Chance Canty. “And Ignacio capitalized on that, so kudos to them for how well they competed on every single ball.”
“Just a completely different team than what we were on Tuesday,” Seibel said. “They had just so much more energy and cohesion on the court; there was just, like, a comforting … familiarity between my players that, really, allowed them to play with no fear. Really came out strong offensively and not afraid to swing – just played with a lot more confidence.”
After dropping Set 1, DNHS bounced back to nearly go wire-to-wire in Set 2, taking a 3-2 lead and never letting IHS get closer than three points before evening the match when Bradley bashed an attempted kill long. But the ’Cats (1-1 overall, 0-0 SJBL) came right back and never let a 4-3 edge in Set 3 degrade before, on IHS’ fourth crack at set point, Bradley attempted a back-row kill which DNHS senior setter Nayelie Velasquez couldn’t control.
And in Set 4, Ignacio junior Lily Quintana checked in from Seibel’s bench and, after receiving no court time in the loss to M-CHS, Quintana made up for ‘lost’ time with a set- and match-breaking six-point stay on serve, with four fast floaters causing immediate breakdowns in the guests’ plans and helping rapidly increase IHS’ lead to 10-1.
“It was really cool seeing Lily so confident,” said junior Reggi Gustafson, a transfer from Bayfield. “I think it warmed everyone’s heart; she deserved it more than anyone. But the energy in the gym was pretty great … we finally had it under control.”
The Lady Tigers (2-1, 0-0 2A Southern Peaks) never came closer than eight points the rest of the way, before senior Autumn Gallegos’ netted attack put Ignacio on set – and match – point, 24-10. After IHS junior Maliyah Martinez tried ending the contest with a kill smacked long, DNHS sophomore Ady Ruybal then netted a failed tip after Ignacio hesitantly received hard-hitting sophomore Brynley Brown’s serve and over-passed it straight back to the all-but-doomed visitors.
“Everyone did their part, their role … and contributed. Even my bench players got in and added a big spark to our team,” Seibel said. “My girls, they just love to play, and they love to be pushed; I think they’re excited to get some competition going.”
And that won’t be in short supply Saturday, Sept. 6, at the aforementioned DC Invite; in addition to the event-hosting Thunder, the tourney field will also include the likes of Strasburg, Buena Vista, Littleton-based Front Range Christian and, not least of all, Julesburg-based Sedgwick County.
“We’ll get to see some real quality volleyball, which we’re super excited for … because it really just makes everybody much better, that competitive play,” Seibel said. “So, we’re going to get ready to take that on.”
SCHEDULE CHANGE:
Ignacio’s 9/13 home match versus Telluride will get underway in the afternoon rather than mid-morning. C-team action will now begin at 1 p.m. instead of 10 a.m., with JV and varsity matches to follow.
“That day’s the Southern Ute Fair,” Seibel said, “so they’re using (Ignacio High’s) parking lot to get ready for the parade – which makes sense.”