It took five hours and 10 sets for Ignacio’s volleyball players to finish a successful Saturday, and that was only the beginning of their day.
The Bobcats’ day began with a 9:30 a.m. matchup against Dolores (4-5, 2-3 San Juan Basin League) that ended with an Ignacio five-set win 18-25, 26-24, 25-16, 24-26, 15-7. After a five-minute break, they took the court again and beat Nucla in five sets 25-27, 25-21, 19-25, 25-16, 16-14.
By the time it was over, the clock read 2:30 p.m., and the exhausted Bobcats (9-2, 6-0 SJB) hit the road to make it home in time for Ignacio’s homecoming dance.
“I told them to get some food, get some water and have a great evening,” IHS head coach Thaddeus Cano said in a phone interview with The Durango Herald. “They were so happy with winning both matches in the fifth set, and the determination of this group is really special.”
In the Dolores match, Alex Forsythe led the team with six aces, and Miel Diaz had 12 kills in the first five-set marathon.
In the second match, Shoshone Thompson had four aces, and Ellie Seibel led the team with 14 kills in a win over an impressive Nucla (9-3, 3-3 SJB) squad.
“Those were two good teams we beat, and I’m proud of the effort,” Cano said. “One thing is for sure, we won’t need any conditioning work next week. I got the trainer on the phone after the game, and he’s ready to work on Monday.”
jfries@durangoherald.com
