Minus a potentially problematic six varsity members, Ignacio's younger players had no choice but to step up, which they impressively did, last Saturday afternoon.
Or, to paraphrase freshman Charlize Valdez, the reserves "on the sidelines taking stats" went about making some stats in a 25-23, 25-20, 25-18 sweep of Nucla inside IHS Gymnasium.
"It was really nerve-wracking for us, we were really excited to go in," said Valdez, who earned a starting assignment with junior/sister Kiana Valdez recovering from a bout with strep throat, senior Caitlyn Mulcahy resting an ailing wing and sophomore Morgan Herrera out due to a probable concussion.
"But then I got used to it," Valdez continued. "When we go in, the upperclassmen are really helpful to us and help us with our rotation, so it's really nice to be out there,like a big family."
Which welcomed the return of senior Avionne Gomez, whose late-match serving yielded two aces and set the scene for Valdez's kill bringing up match point-which then went into the books via a NHS passing error.
"I just wanted to finish this game; it was a long day," said Gomez, tired but beaming.
"Their free-balls were really sharp coming over the net, and we got out of rotation-it's a pretty new rotation-so we were a little off in the last game," Valdez noted, recalling that the Mustangs led for most of Game 3, and as late as 18-17 before the Volleycats' 7-0 closing burst.
"But we picked it up, because we always kept our heads up."
"They lost players from last year," Gomez added, "but they're good without the graduated."
Unfortunately, Ignacio found out Tuesday night that Centauri is even better this fall than last.
Coming off a 12-12 campaign in 2016, and minus just three players due to graduation earlier this year, the #7-ranked Falcons improved to 13-0 overall so far in '17 via a 25-16, 25-19, 25-11 non-league sweep in La Jara.
"We have the talent; it's just putting that small piece together," IHS head coach Thad Cano had said following the 2A/1A San Juan Basin League win over Nucla. "We've been really working on the emotional side of the team, the psychological part, and the girls are really buying into it, understanding how important it is."
Up next, the 'Cats (5-8, 4-4 SJBL) will resume league work Tuesday, Oct. 10, at Dolores (#9 in this week's 2A poll), and then travel to Telluride for a circuit triangular on the 14th versus both the Miners and Norwood.
"Skill-wise, I really like where we are at this point in the season," Cano said. "We work all positions, players hit from everywhere during practice. Whoever handles it best gets the starting positions, whether they're a freshman or senior."
"They've gone through the reps, so I'm confident in their abilities."
CHSAANOW.COM CLASS 2A VOLLEYBALL POLL (10/2): 1.Yuma, 2.Lyons, 3.Greeley Dayspring Christian, 4.Hoehne, 5.Swink, 6.Simla, 7.Paonia, 8.Denver Christian, 9.Dolores, 10.Haxtun. (Others Receiving Votes-Wiggins, IGNACIO, Greeley Union Colony, Walsenburg John Mall, Meeker, Fowler, Wray, Telluride.)
