CLASS 3A VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW – SEPT. 3RD-5TH
BY: KERRY SHERMAN
The defending state champions will finally break the seal on the new season, as Resurrection Christian plays its first match of the fall on Tuesday. The top of the rankings is dominated by Patriot League teams, but they aren’t the only ones involved in big clashes in the early part of the week. All of the rankings used in our preview come from the MileHigh Prep Report Media/Coaches poll.
TUESDAY
#1 Resurrection Christian (0-0) at Liberty Common (1-5)
Right out of the gates, Resurrection Christian begins the season with a road tilt in the Patriot League. The Lady Cougars will be facing a Liberty Common squad that has only won four sets in its first six matches. The Lady Eagles lost a four-setter to Peak to Peak last Thursday.
#5 Alamosa (3-2) at 4A Pueblo County (1-0)
Alamosa shot out to a quick 3-0 record, but suffered losses last weekend to #2 Eaton in three and 4A Niwot in four. Aubrey Rothermich had 15 kills in the latter of those two losses. Pueblo County beat Fountain-Fort Carson 3-1 in its only match to date. None of the four sets were decided by more than four points.
#9 Strasburg (1-0) vs 2A Limon (1-1)
These two spent the past two seasons in the same league, but the new cycle saw Strasburg move up a classification. The Lady Indians got a triple-double from Peighton Marrero in a sweep of Bennett last Thursday. The senior recorded 13 assists, 12 digs and 10 kills. Limon eked out a five-set win over 1A Deer Trail early last week, but was swept by 2A #2 Simla on Saturday.
#10 Sterling (2-0) at St. Mary’s Academy (3-0)
Ainsley Samber and Ady Santomaso each had eight kills to lead Sterling to a sweep victory over Sidney (NE) last Thursday. The Lady Tigers have not lost a set in their first two matches. St. Mary’s Academy has swept its first three opponents, including Englewood last Tuesday.
Eagle Ridge Academy (3-0) at 2A #4 Colorado Springs Christian (1-0)
Freshmen Mollie Schaefer (9) and Sylvia Campagna (8) combined for 17 kills in a sweep victory by Eagle Ridge Academy over DSST: Green Valley Ranch last Thursday. The Lady Warriors served 21 aces in that match, five apiece by Raylen Allen and Emily McMillan. CSCS got 10 kills from Abigail Perry and nine more from Abi Howard in a four-set win over Discovery Canyon in the only action so far for the Lady Lions.
THURSDAY
#2 Eaton Fightin’ Lady Reds (5-0) vs Frontier Academy (3-2)
Eaton topped 4A Palmer Ridge in five sets to win the title in the tournament hosted by the Fightin’ Lady Reds on Saturday, with Annabelle DeJager hammering 24 kills and Madi Smith adding 16. Frontier Academy got past Highland in five sets last Tuesday to climb above .500 on the early season. This is the Patriot League opener for both.
#5 Alamosa at Pagosa Springs (3-2)
An early share of the lead in the Intermountain is at stake for the winner. Pagosa Springs enters having swept 2A Dolores last Tuesday, behind eight kills from Aspen Pitcher and seven from Cadence Kerns. Alamosa will be playing its second match of the week, following Tuesday’s clash with Pueblo County.
Olathe (3-2) at Aspen (0-0)
Western Slope play begins for these two and its the season opener for Aspen. Olathe won two out of three over the weekend at the Crested Butte tournament, beating the hosts in three and 1A Nucla in two. The loss came to 1A #10 Sargent in two sets. Sargent made the 2A state tournament last year, but dropped a classification in the new cycle.
Windsor Charter Academy (5-1) vs 4A University (3-0)
Despite being in different classifications, this is a league match. The Lady Firebirds bounced back from a loss to Severance to beat 2A Dayspring Christian in a sweep last Thursday. Just eight points separated the two teams in that match-up. The move up to 4A has gone pretty smoothly for University, who has not dropped a set in the first three contests. Freshman Delaney Lauer put down 14 kills in the win over Holy Family on Thursday.
MileHigh Prep Report 