Going into the West Grand Invitational Sept. 2-3, Ignacio stood just 1-3 overall.
The Bobcats, however, returned from Kremmling a reinvigorated 4-4 (1-1 2A/1A San Juan Basin) after their runner-up finish.
Named the tournament’s most valuable player, senior Harmony Reynolds registered a 15-kill, 12-dig double-double against West Grand in the tournament finale. Senior setter Laci Brunson logged 41 assists and 12 digs, but the Bobcats came up just short, 18-25, 25-21, 27-29, 13-25.
“That fourth set ... we’d just went 27-29 and then … they just didn’t have any more to give,” said IHS head coach Shasta Pontine. “They were trying, but they weren’t even jumping high enough to get the ball over the net anymore. Gave everything they could to try getting that third set and then just ran out of steam.”
“When we had practice on Wednesday night, I said we needed to have at least one person step up and start hitting double digits in order to start winning these bigger games,” she said. “And (Reynolds) did; she had a huge game, swung hard – every time she’d come up and hit, she was aggressive and smart. And her passing was phenomenal. It was a huge step-up piece.”
Junior Solymar Cosio and sophomore Marissa Olguin each downed eight kills, and senior Trinity Strohl, seven, in the match. Olguin came up with nine digs and Strohl eight as each also made a run at a double-double. Junior Kacey Brown led the ’Cats with a reported 17 digs, and junior libero Maci Barnes had nine.
Brown served five aces and Strohl three.
Beginning Day 1 action against Fairplay-based 2A South Park, Ignacio blasted the Burros 25-8, 25-11, 25-13. Reynolds put down nine kills and Cosio four while Brunson totaled 17 assists. The Volleycats’ service game was especially vicious with Strohl and Brown each firing six of the team’s 24 aces.
“I think (South Park) served probably – I’m serious – less than 10 times,” Pontine said. “I got a little bit of a cushion and stopped serving against them, let the girls just start learning for themselves where to go.”
The ’Cats next clashed with 2A Cedaredge, and pulled out a five-set stunner, 25-20, 20-25, 24-26, 25-22, 15-5. Brunson booked 21 assists as Reynolds and Strohl each cracked a team-leading six kills, with Cosio contributing four. Defensively, Reynolds logged 13 digs, while Strohl came up with seven and Barnes eight.
Cosio and sophomore Ollyvia Howe were each credited with two solo and three assisted blocks, while Brunson zinged over six of IHS’ 20 reported aces. Strohl was credited with four, while Reynolds, Brown and Olguin each had three.
Ignacio needed to dig even deeper Saturday after losing a 2-0 match lead against 2A Gilpin County. The ‘Cats regrouped to swipe a tiebreaking fifth game and survive 27-25, 25-21, 20-25, 17-25 and 15-12. Based in Black Hawk, Gilpin got a reported 13 kills and 29 digs from senior Skyler Ramsey, plus 23 assists and 16 digs from senior Tommie DiMauro but suffered their its loss after a 6-0 season start.
“We were hitting more than they were. And it’s kind of been a process the last two weeks for us; that was a piece we needed to step up,” Pontine said. “Between the Gilpin and West Grand games, that’s where we stepped up huge.”
Grand County improved to 7-2 overall with the tournament title.
Up next, Ignacio will head to the Denver Christian Invitational on Saturday.
“It’s going to be our last tournament this season,” Pontine said. “It’ll be some good volleyball.”
