The last two seasons, the injury bug has bitten the Demons volleyball squad and has not let go. Last season, star outside hitter Mason Rowland had a hairline fracture in her back in the first week of play, which caused her to miss the rest of the season.
Durango was able to make it through regionals by beating Green Mountain.
However, Rowland’s play was missed as the Demons lost to Lewis-Palmer in the first round of the 4A girls volleyball state tournament in five sets.
“She was one of the best in the state,” Durango coach Kelley Rifilato said of Rowland. “And so it was really tough, but it also it showed the resiliency of these kids that bounced back and were very accepting of the new roles that I gave them and I was forced to kind of create a new team because I moved five kids up from JV because I wasn't sure what we needed.”
Last year’s state run with a team featuring only four seniors even caught some of the players by surprise.
“Last year even making it to state, I'm not sure anyone really expected it,” Demons middle blocker Sarah Somrak said. “But I think the fact that we did was really eye-opening.”
Despite returning 11 players, Rifilato felt her team this season was inexperienced. Many of Durango’s players are multisport athletes who Rifilato doesn’t see until June. This is a stark contrast to other programs in the Front Range who have players who also play club volleyball.
Rifilato wanted her squad to be ready once the playoffs began this year, so she scheduled tough matches against regional powers like Windsor, (Class 4A’s top-ranked team), Pueblo West (No. 10 in 5A), Holy Family (No. 8 in 4A), Montrose (No. 11 in 4A) and Valor Christian (5A’s top-ranked team).
“It's just having the knowledge of what is in front of us,” Rifilato said. “Last year, Green Mountain had two girls that were like 6’2 and 6’3 that pounded the ball. We hadn't even faced a team like that all year.”
Somrak said last year’s team struggled to keep its emotions steady during the Lewis-Palmer matchup. She also said playing high-level competition this year has forced the Demons to keep their energy level up and not let it be like a roller coaster.
The injury bug deal the team another blow this season when outside hitter Aava Dreger injured her ankle two weeks ago and has been sidelined since.
“The injuries have made a difference because there's different people in the lineup and they're all in different places,” Rifilato said. “When Aava went out, I moved five people to different spots. Sarah (Somrak) is the only one who really stayed in the exact same spot.”
Rifilato has also taught her team that injuries can prepare them for the postseason because it builds depth with those who have gotten playing time who otherwise would not have.
The offense is also more diverse because of the injuries, according to Rifilato.
“Most teams have two kids that they go to all the time,” Rifilato said. “We've got four and five that are doing great things for us. So now it's just figuring out a way to put it all together.”
With an 11-5 record entering Friday’s league match at Grand Junction, the Demons haven’t been at full strength for most of the season. But with more maturity and savvy play, Durango could make some noise in November on a run toward a possible state championship.
“We all have the skill, we just need to get our mindset right,” Somrak said. “As soon as that part clicks for us, we’ll be super good.”
bkelly@durangoherald.com
