Cowboys volleyball team beats Crested Butte, 3-2

The Gunnison High School volleyball team sits at 3-6 after splitting their matchups last week with Crested Butte and Coal Ridge. 

The Cowboys opened the week with Crested Butte at home on Tuesday, Sept. 8. The girls won the match 3-2, closing out the match with a dominant final set.

Gunnison lost the first set 25-22, won the second 25-22, won the third 25-14, lost the fourth 25-22 and won the final set 15-5.

“The girls did a great job adapting and being coachable in the middle of the match,” wrote head coach Shana Benson in an email to the Times. “Coaches made adjustments midgame, and the girls did a fabulous job putting them into play, which allowed us for a solid win.”

Maya Petrie led the team with 20 kills in the match, Roxie Uhrig had 10 and Addison Claus had seven. Petrie also led the team with six aces. Uhrig, Kat Rodriguez and Claus each had two aces as well.

Natalia Sabino led the team with 23 assists and Claus had 16 as well. Mckenzie Taramarcaz led the team with 15 digs.

“We were able to block much better this match, and our hitters did a great job swinging hard,” wrote Benson. “Our setters do a great job of putting the ball in a place where our hitters have options.”

Two days later, the Cowboys headed on the road to take on Coal Ridge to close out the week. The Cowboys fell to the Titans 3-0 on Thursday, Sept. 10. They lost the first set 25-18, the second set 25-14 and the third set 25-23.

Petrie led the team in kills once again with eight, Uhrig was right behind her with six, Gianna Wickenhauser had three, Sabino had two and Rodriguez had one.

Sabino, Rodriguez, Wickenhauser, Emma Bogart and Claus all had one ace each.

Sabino led the team with seven assists and Claus had six. Petrie and Uhrig led the team with six digs each.

“We have to start strong versus getting behind at the beginning and climbing our way back into a game,” wrote Benson about the game against Coal Ridge. 

This week the Cowboys will host Roaring Fork (3-8) on Thursday, Sept. 17. The Cowboys beat the Rams earlier this season 3-0. The girls will close out the week with a game at Moffat County (1-7) on Saturday, Sept. 19. 

Ahead of the two matches later this week, Benson wants the team to work on communication, swinging hard and starting strong.

“We need to start strong, sideout efficiently, swing hard, and get to the block,” wrote Benson when talking about what the team needs to improve on to continue to stack wins.