CLASS 3A VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW – WEEK EIGHT
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
Before heading into the preview of this weekend’s biggest matches, MileHigh Prep Report would like to congratulate Delta’s sophomore setter, Lillian Nelson, for reaching 1000 career assists earlier in the week. Nelson needed four assists for the milestone heading into Delta’s match with Aspen on Tuesday, and she recorded 37 in the four-set victory. If you have a student-athlete who is close to a milestone or has recently reached one, please send a message to kerryshermansports@gmail.com so that we can acknowledge the achievement. Now, let’s take a look at some of the top match-ups on the calendar over the next few days. All rankings come from the most recent release of the CHSAA Selection and Seeding Index.
FRIDAY
#28 DSST: CONSERVATORY GREEN (16-3) VS #49 STEM SCHOOL HIGHLANDS RANCH (8-5)
With six straight wins, DSST: Conservatory Green shares the lead in the mixed Confluence league with DSST: College View. STEM School Highlands Ranch is one game back in the loss column and enters the match with three straight victories. If the season ended today, the Lady Green Hornets would be in the postseason. Junior Caden Cope leads them with 149 kills. The visiting Lady Spartans, who have a lot of work to do to get into the top 36 of the Seeding Index, are led by the 1-2 combo of Auburne Mauger (107 kills) and Kylie Pautler (106 kills).
SATURDAY
#22 THE VANGUARD SCHOOL LADY COURSERS AT SWINK CLASSIC
The Lady Coursers will take a break from Tri-Peaks play to compete in the Swink Classic. They will have matches against 1A Holly and 2A Custer County, as well as the one that moves the needle the most against the hosts. Swink is 15th in the 2A Seeding Index and should provide the toughest challenge in the event. Skylar Ford leads the Lady Coursers with 73 aces on the year.
#18 RESURRECTION LADY COUGARS AT GREELEY WEST TOURNAMENT
Pool play for the Lady Cougars at the Greeley West tournament will have them facing 4A #43 Fort Morgan, as well as 5A #20 Loveland, and 5A #36 Poudre. Resurrection Christian snapped a three-match skid in the Patriot by sweeping Weld Central on Thursday.
MONDAY
#22 PEAK TO PEAK LADY PUMAS AT #41 THE ACADEMY LADY WILDCATS
Peak to Peak had a three-match winning streak snapped earlier this week with losses to St. Mary’s Academy in four and Jefferson Academy in three. They’ve slid into a tie for sixth place in the mixed Metro league. The Academy has dropped three in a row and sits ninth in the league.
#26 WINDSOR CHARTER ACADEMY LADY FIREBIRDS AT 2A #20 LOVELAND CLASSICAL LADY LIONS
Three classifications go into making the Foothills league, and Windsor Charter enters the weekend alone on top of the standings, with Loveland Classical tied for second with Golden View Classical. Windsor Charter hosts GVCA (2A #33) on Friday, and pending the outcome of that match, Monday’s contest with the Lady Lions could either be to strengthen their lead in the league, or to maintain a share of it. While all three of those teams are currently ranked highly enough in the Seeding Index to get into the postseason of their respective classifications, to get an automatic berth, they must win the league title outright, since it is a multi class league.
TUESDAY
#2 DELTA LADY PANTHERS AT 4A #13 DURANGO LADY DEMONS
After Tuesday’s win over Aspen, Delta earned a sweep of North Fork on Thursday to improve to 15-0 on the season. The Lady Panthers not only step out of league play, but also climb a classification to take on Durango. The Lady Demons took a four-match winning streak into weekend matches against Montrose (4A #14) and Fruita Monument (5A #35).
#4 TIMNATH LADY CUBS AT 4A #50 WELD CENTRAL LADY REBELS
Timnath raced out to 15 straight wins to begin the season, including an impressive sweep of #1 Platte Valley last Thursday. However, the Lady Cubs were handed a four-set loss by Liberty Common on Tuesday and a sweep defeat by Eaton on Thursday. The trip to Weld Central will be their first action since that loss to Eaton.
#5 EATON FIGHTIN’ LADY REDS VS #34 WELLINGTON LADY EAGLES
The win over Timnath kept Eaton just half a game back of Platte Valley for the lead in the mixed Patriot. The Fightin’ Lady Reds lost the head-to-head with PV earlier in the year, but have won eight straight since. Wellington has lost three in a row and has just one win in the league. The strength of the league would have the Lady Eagles in the postseason of right now.
#6 LIBERTY COMMON LADY EAGLES VS #24 VALLEY LADY VIKINGS
Liberty Common has reeled off eight straight wins since its loss to Eaton and the win over Timnath gives the Lady Eagles third place in the league. Valley is ninth after Thursday’s loss to Platte Valley.
#7 LAMAR LADY THUNDER AT 2A #41 BANNING LEWIS LADY STALLIONS
Lamar has steadily been climbing the rankings thanks to seven consecutive wins. The Lady Thunder won the title in the always tough Fowler tournament last weekend and then returned to Tri-Peaks play on Thursday with a sweep of St. Mary’s, keeping them half a game behind James Irwin for the league lead. Banning Lewis had a 2-0 lead over James Irwin on Thursday before falling in five sets, 15-10 in the fifth.
#9 KENT DENVER LADY SUN DEVILS VS #31 STARGATE SCHOOL LADY EAGLES
Kent Denver ran its win streak to nine with a sweep of The Academy on Monday and will put that streak on the line against Stargate who fell to Prospect Ridge Academy in four on Thursday. The Lady Eagles picked up a big 3-0 win over Forge Christian on Tuesday.
WEDNESDAY
#3 JEFFERSON ACADEMY LADY JAGUARS AT #17 ST. MARY’S ACADEMY LADY WILDCATS
This match has the two teams hot on the heels of first place Kent Denver in the Metro. JA takes at three-match winning streak into it, while St. Mary’s had won four straight going into Thursday’s match against Forge Christian. The Lady Wildcats still have Kent Denver on the schedule.
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