Playing in front of the entire community in a gymnasium filled with white T-shirts, the Bayfield High School volleyball team had to battle a rush of adrenaline and the Aztec Tigers.
The Wolverines handled both with ease, beating Aztec 3-0 with wins of 25-14, 25-19 and 25-22.
“It was a big adrenaline night for us,” BHS head coach Terene Foutz said. “The community showed up in droves, and we were fortunate to have a great crowd behind us. We fed off that home crown frenzy, and we’re real appreciative of that.”
The Wolverines (3-2) had five hitters combine for 36 kills and had a team kill efficiency of a staggering .269. Maddi Foutz led the team with 11 kills, and Jade Pascale added nine.
BHS also had 15 aces as a team. Sydni Gabbard led the team in that category with five.
“Our serve strategy was strong,” coach Foutz said. “I don’t know if we could do that against a multitude of teams, and it’s not something we can get away with all the time. This was just one of those nights.”
Aztec (3-3) served the ball toward Emily Bauer and Maddi Foutz, allowing the Wolverines to set up excellent passes.
BHS will stay at home this Saturday for a tri-meet with Centauri and Montezuma-Cortez for Intermountain League action. Cortez joined the IML this year, making it a six-team league.
“It will have more of a tournament feel than a home match,” coach Foutz said. “Centauri is winning this year, and there’s no doubt they are stronger than years past.”
One of the best teams in the Four Corners rolled into Durango on Tuesday night.
The Piedra Vista High School volleyball team beat the Durango Demons 3-0 with set wins of 25-19, 25-16 and 25-19.
“They made us better,” DHS head coach Collen Vogt said of her opponents from Farmington. “They are well coached, play a fast-paced game and are scrappy. They are a fun team to play.”
Durango (1-3) was led by Lana Razma’s 10 kills. Brianna Brown had 20 assists, Ivy Kirwan added nine digs, and Josie Surmeier led the team with four blocks.
“We made changes to our rotation, and the girls stepped up and played better than we have been,” Vogt said. “We look forward to continuing that.”
Durango will hit the road to play four matches at the Cherry Creek tournament this weekend.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
