Picking on schools bigger than its Class 3A designation has become a habit for the Bayfield High School volleyball team.

The Wolverines finished third at the Lewis Palmer Invitational on Saturday in Monument, an event populated exclusively by Class 4A teams outside of the now 5-2 Wolverines.

“It reinforces the hard work that we’re putting into our game right now,” BHS head coach Terene Foutz said. “We’re fortunate that everyone’s healthy, and everyone’s contributing. We’re really thinking about the higher standard, the (Colorado High School Activities Association) state playoffs, working hard to create a playoff opportunity for ourselves.”

BHS beat Northglenn and Windsor 2-0 in pool play before losing 2-0 to Lewis Palmer, the 14th-ranked team in the country, according to MaxPreps.com.

Set scores and statistics weren’t immediately available.

“They’re a wrecking machine,” Foutz said. “It was probably the most fun we’ve had dropping a match all season. It was really a fun opportunity to go against the best. We learned a lot defensively dealing with those large attackers.”

The 2-1 pool-play record seeded BHS fourth, matching them up with 3-seed Montrose.

BHS beat the Indians 2-1 (25-22, 20-25, 17-15).

“Montrose really was a serve, serve-receive battle,” Foutz said. “It just set the tone for the match.”

The Wolverines still aren’t done punching above their weight.

BHS will play the second game of a home-and-home series against Piedra Vista at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in Farmington.

The Panthers beat BHS 3-2 in Bayfield’s season opener.

“That’s gonna be another great battle. They get better every week, and so do we,” Foutz said. “I think after you play a Lewis Palmer, it doesn’t get tougher than that. Anything that (Piedra Vista) throws our way, we’ll score to the best of our ability.”

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