Powered Tuesday night by a reported 20 kills for senior Grace Barber and 18 for senior Evelette Hollibaugh, Bayfield again outgunned Montezuma-Cortez on the volleyball court – and, like in the teams’ first encounter back on Sept. 9 at M-CHS, again pulled out a four-set victory.
Junior Vivien Clance downed six kills in support as the Wolverines prevailed 25-18, 25-27, 25-20, 25-17, won their third consecutive match and improved to 2-0 in a young October.
Senior setter Avery Shipman booked five kills while racking up 47 assists and also 13 digs as a majority of the teams’ exchanges were quite prolonged. Senior libero Lauren Rich came up with a team-leading 26 digs, Hollibaugh joined her teammates in double figures with her 15.
Clance also went vertical for one solo and four assisted blocks and Barber booked one solo and three assisted stops as Bayfield improved to 11-5 overall and a second-place 4-2 in 3A Intermountain League action.
Individual numbers for fourth-place Montezuma-Cortez (11-8, 2-4), beginning a rough five-match away stretch wrapping up regular-season play, had not been reported as of press time.
Up next, the Panthers will travel to La Jara on Friday to face Centauri (11-5, 2-3), and overnight in the San Luis Valley to then visit league-leading – and top-ranked in 3A Alamosa (16-1, 7-0) the next afternoon. Bayfield will next see action on the Tuesday when Pagosa Springs (2-13, 0-6) comes to BHS Gymnasium.
CHSAA CLASS 3A GIRLS VOLLEYBALL RANKINGS (10/6): 1. Alamosa, 2. Eaton, 3. Loveland Resurrection Christian, 4. Centauri, 5. Arvada Forge Christian, 6. Thornton Stargate, 7. BAYFIELD, 8. Broomfield Prospect Ridge Academy, 9. Aspen, 10. Gunnison.
