The Ignacio High School volleyball team had its season come to a close Friday in Kremmling, as the Bobcats lost both matches at the Class 2A Region 7 volleyball tournament.

Ignacio (13-12) came across stiff competition against No. 7 West Grand and No. 18 Highland.

In its first match of the day against West Grand (21-4), the Bobcats lost in four sets, 25-15, 25-20, 23-25 and 25-17.

In the third set, Ignacio scrapped to a 7-6 lead in what would prove to be a back-and-forth set. Later in the set, Ignacio went on a 5-0 run to take an 18-13 lead before the Mustangs responded with their own 6-0 run. West Grand’s last lead in the set came at 23-22, but IHS rattled off three consecutive points, including a kill from Grace Gonzales, and Marissa Carmenoros gave IHS the win on a service ace.

West Grand got off to a 5-1 lead in the fourth set and went on to cruise to a 25-17 win to take the match.

In the other match, IHS also lost in four sets to Highland (15-9), 25-21, 25-15, 22-25 and 29-27. The final two games were the closest in the match. In the third set, IHS tied the match at 19-19 before back-to-back kills from Lexy Young and Alexis Pontine. Ignacio went on to win the set 25-22 after back-to-back kills from Makayla Howell.

In the fourth set, Ignacio was unable to close out the set despite needing just one point to tie the match on four separate occasions. With the score tied at 27, Ignacio’s attack went long and Highland took a 28-27 lead. They would win on the following point after setter Maiya Dehoyos tipped over a ball that was just out of the reach of IHS’ Charlize Valdez, and Highland won the game and the match.

The Bobcats will lose just one senior in Makayla Howell, and will return six underclassmen alongside four juniors.

In the regional championship match, West Grand topped a tired Highland, 25-17, 25-21 and 25-20.

bploen@durangoherald.com