While the Bayfield football team was taking care of business at home against Manitou Springs, the Wolverines’ volleyball squad spent Saturday at the Mustangs’ gym for regional playoffs.
After beating Brush High School 3-1 (25-22, 25-12, 17-25, 25-21), Bayfield lost to the host Mustangs squad 3-0 (25-16, 25-23, 25-20). It is the second year in a row the Wolverines were eliminated from postseason play by Manitou Springs.
Bayfield (13-12) was behind the eight ball from the start. The Wolverines lost two of their starters – Sydney Gabbard and Kylee McCoy – to illness. However, Courtney Bayles, Jade Pascale and Anna Pope did a fantastic job filling in.
“We played some of our best volleyball of the year in the first match,” Bayfield head coach Terene Foutz said in a phone interview with The Durango Herald. “It’s nice to see a group this young play its best matches in the regional when the stakes are highest.”
Junior Maddi Foutz and senior Brooke Kudelski proved to be too much power for Brush (6-19), but Manitou Springs had some firepower to match the Wolverines’ heavy hitters.
In the deciding match, the No. 8 seeded Mustangs (19-6) came out strong and jumped out to a 20-8 lead in the first set before winning decisively, 25-16.
Mustangs senior Katie McKiel intimidated the young Bayfield squad, and it took awhile for the Wolverines to get up to her pace.
“Manitou got off to a great start,” Foutz said. “We knew late in the first set that they were going to take it, but it was really about getting over the fear of their big hitter, Katie McKiel.”
As they have all season, the Wolverines responded.
Up 15-12 and 22-20, Bayfield needed to close out the second set to make a match of it. Down the stretch, Manitou Springs came through when it mattered most by running off four consecutive points and five of the last six to take a thrilling back-and-forth second set 25-23.
The third set was another competitive set, but the home team was a few points better. The Mustangs took the set 25-20 to win the match 3-0 and qualify for the CHSAA Class 3A State Volleyball Tournament.
“This year was a great learning experience for a young team,” Foutz said. “We got to watch these kids grow before our eyes, and almost all of them will be back next year. It was an incredible journey, and I’m proud at how hard the girls worked to finish the season with a winning record.”
jfries@durangoherald.com
