After winning eight of nine September matches, Ignacio High School volleyball entered October traveling to the distant Greeley West Invitational on Saturday.
Though a tourney title wasn’t in the cards, the Volleycats nevertheless enjoyed some success.
Victory came at the expense of 5A Denver North, as 2A IHS took the best-of-three in straight sets. Junior Lainee Bradley downed eight kills and junior Maliyah Martinez five, while junior setter Kelly Sirios spread 20 assists around while also logging 11 digs and four kills. Bradley and Martinez each came up with nine digs.
Another 5A school, Fort Collins Poudre, proved more formidable, but Ignacio began well and swiped Set 1 by a 25-22 margin. The Lady Impalas fought back, however, with a 25-18 win forcing a tiebreaking third set – which went into extra points before PHS came out on top, 19-17.
Bradley drilled a team-high seven kills while Martinez, Sirios (15 assists) and junior Reggi Gustafson were each credited with four. Baker came up with eight digs and Bradley seven, while Sirios and Martinez each totaled six.
Against the tourney-hosting 5A Lady Spartans, who came in standing just 1-14 overall, the ’Cats notched another conquest by prevailing 25-15, 25-16. Martinez and Sirios were each credited with five kills and sophomore Alleah Neil four, as Sirios racked up another 18 assists – to go with 14 more digs for her second double-double of the one-day event. Baker came up with another dozen digs.
Ignacio (11-3 overall, 5-0 2A/1A San Juan Basin League) will next resume league work on Thursday at home against 2A Mancos, then continue on Saturday at 1A Nucla.
GREELEY WEST INVITATIONAL FINAL STANDINGS (tourney record, overall): 1. Broomfield (3-0; 6-9), 2. Fort Collins Poudre (2-1; 11-6), 3. IGNACIO (2-1; 11-3), 4. Greeley West (1-2; 2-16), 5. Keenesburg Weld Central (1-2; 5-10), 6. Denver North (0-3; 5-7).
