Unable to keep the momentum of winning both legs of a vital San Juan Basin League triangular three days before, Ignacio visited 2A Del Norte Tuesday night and fell 15-25, 17-25, 11-25.
Del Norte improved to 11-6 overall with the non-league sweep.
Clawing back towards the .500 mark overall for the regular season, Ignacio invaded Telluride last Saturday to duel both THS and Norwood, and after defeating NHS in four games, avenged an earlier loss to THS in five: 17-25, 25-16, 13-25, 25-17, 15-8.
In addition to distributing the ball well with her 21 assists, senior setter Shoshone Thompson threatened a run at a rare quadruple-double by cracking seven kills, serving six aces, and coming up with a 22 digs defensively.
Senior Avionne Gomez (8 kills) came up with 14 digs for the Volleycats, and junior Misty Egger-Morris (5 kills) posted five solo and two assisted blocks as the Miners played with senior setter Sydney Evans and junior middle Jess Pack back in the lineup.
A late-season call-up to the varsity, senior Mackenzie Thomas logged four kills, three aces and seven digs for Telluride, matching Egger-Morris and sophomore Makayla Howell for IHS.
THS dipped to 13-4 overall, 9-4 against all SJBL opposition with the loss, while Norwood ended the day inside the MinerDome sliding to 3-14, 1-11 via a 13-25, 14-25, 14-25 loss to Telluride and a 20-25, 26-24, 21-25, 15-25 loss to the 'Cats.
Howell recorded 10 kills, nine digs and three solo blocks, while Gomez drilled eight kills as Thompson spread around 22 assists and also came up with nine digs.
Freshman Charlize Valdez and junior Reyna Cruz also came up with eight digs each, while Gomez's seven aces often kept the Mavericks from truly establishing their attack.
Standing 7-10 overall, 6-5 in league after all three outings, Ignacio is slated to close out the regular season this Saturday, Oct. 21, at Ridgway after playing their senior night game Thursday against Mancos.
