Lady Cowboys successful on homecoming

MEEKER I Friday was homecoming, and the Lady Cowboys weren’t to be denied.
But it took some doing.
Like five games, including winning the last three. Meeker rallied to win the match, 24-26, 20-25, 25-21, 25-22, 15-12.
“The team seemed to find their internal drive in the third set,” coach Christy Atwood said. “We forced them to make errors, and limited ours.
“The fourth set was basically point for point, until Vanessa Rodebaugh made the last serving run,” Atwood said. “The fifth set was a gut check. We allowed West Grand to have a four-point run and get within one, 12-11, then Morgan Neilson was able to finish the game with clutch serves in the end.
“The first two sets were hard fought, but errors at critical times turned the score, and we just couldn’t rebound,” Atwood said.
But, eventually, Meeker’s experience came through.
“The matches we have had previously helped us maintain our level of play and limit errors at critical times,” Atwood said. “We are finding a rhythm with our new lineup.”
Atwood said the Lady Cowboys’ seniors were fired up for their last homecoming game.
“Stacey Fitzgibbons played with urgency,” Atwood said. “Her leadership and hustle on the floor was contagious. Her fellow seniors Gabbie Goettel, Devin Buckendorf, Timbre Shriver and Morgan Neilson have settled in to their new roles.
“The underclassmen were not upstaged by the seniors,” Atwood said. “Laura Glass had another consistent match, while Katherine Doll and Vanessa Rodebaugh are really starting to find their groove. Randia Rule and Shae Barrow handled the setting duties with precision, Elissa McLaughlin stepped up the defense and Sydney Boes was great off the bench when we needed her.”
This week, the Lady Cowboys play two of the tougher teams in the league: at Paonia on Friday and at home against North Park on Saturday.