Volleyball: Cowboys drop first two matches of the season

The Gunnison High School volleyball team started the season with two straight losses last weekend.

The girls hosted North Fork on Friday, Aug. 21, and then traveled to Sanford the following day. These were the first two games of the 2026 season and the first two games of head coach Shana Benson’s return to coaching.The girls started strong in the first game against North Fork Friday in front of a large home crowd, but ultimately lost 3-1 after winning the first set.“The girls felt good, but we had trouble stopping their outside hitter in the following games,” Benson wrote in an email to the Times. “We also missed many key serves that hurt our momentum.”

The Cowboys took the first set 25-15, but then lost the next three 25-19, 25-21 and 25-23.In the fourth set the girls mounted a comeback that could have forced a winner-take-all fifth set, but the bid fell just short and the Cowboys dropped the match.

“A few of the girls improved immensely over the course of the match, and that was amazing,” Benson wrote. “They made adjustments when needed; that's great.”

Benson also emphasized that the players are still adjusting to a new coach and a new play style on both offense and defense, and that the results will come if they trust the process throughout the early part of the season.

The following day the team traveled to Sanford for the second match of the season. They were defeated by the Mustangs 3-0 and fell to 0-2 on the season.

“This match, we started slow but gained momentum in the second and third sets,” Benson wrote. “Again, we missed some key serves that could have changed the trajectory of the game.”

Benson made lineup changes between sets that she felt the players adapted to well, but they are still learning a new system and having some growing pains.

“Again, still learning a new system, from a new coach, will take time,” Benson wrote after the game. “It's important for them to push through this part of the battle.”

The Cowboys next play at Rye High School on Wednesday, Aug. 26, and travel to Roaring Fork on Saturday, Aug. 29.

In the meantime the team will work on serve receiving and blocking. Benson is also considering lineup changes before they return to the court Wednesday.