Meeker advances to districts

MEEKER I Lady Cowboy volleyball coach Christy Atwood wanted her team to get a win in the final regular season match to take some momentum into the first round of the district tournament and her team performed to her expectations.
Meeker beat the West Grand Mustangs in four games in front of a hometown crowd and then traveled to Oak Creek to play the lady Rams in the first round of the district tournament, where they needed five games to win the match and advance to the final four of the district tournament.
“It felt like we worked very well together as a team,” Atwood said of the win against the Mustangs. “The seniors (Katie Morgan, Aubrey Walsh and Adrienne Wix; senior Kathryn Doll did not play last Saturday) played the entire first game at positions they were not used to but it was nice for the last home match.”
Meeker lost the first game 16-25 but Atwood said her team “picked up the momentum,” in the second game.
“We found our groove and were able to move two steps forward instead of three steps back,” Atwood said.
It took a while for Meeker to get in its groove, as the lady Cowboys fell behind before they tied the game at 13. Meeker was down 18-20, then went ahead 23-21 before it was tied again at 24. Meeker won the second game 26-24.
Meeker also trailed in the third game 12-14 then went up 20-18. The two teams traded points back and forth and Meeker again needed extra points to win 28-26.
The lady Cowboys stayed in the fourth game against the Mustangs before taking an 11-9 lead and control of the game to win the match 25-19 in the fourth game.
“I think we were doing what we needed to be doing,” Atwood said of the match that included several long volleys.
Atwood said Aly Ridings “had a great match, playing a complete, doing all things well and Katie Morgan also did a great job again. Atwood said the setting of Walsh and Kaysyn Chintala allowed the team to execute their game plan.
“It was a fun match to be a part of,” Atwood said.
Before Tuesday’s match against the lady Rams, Atwood said she “felt good about where we were at” and had reason for the good feelings.
Meeker jumped on the Rams in the first game, winning 25-18 but needed extra points (28-26) to take a two game lead.
“In the third game we were up 20-10 then lost all of our composure,” Atwood said. Meeker ended up losing the third game 23-25, then lost the fourth game 25-15, forcing a deciding fifth game.
“We gave them all the momentum back after the third game,” Atwood said. “In the fifth game, we were neck and neck, then we got a good swing point at 11 and from there we were able to get the win.”
Meeker won the match with a 15-11 victory in the fifth game.
The lady Cowboys will now advance to the final four of the district, to be held in Oak Creek this Saturday, where a four-team pool play format will be played. Meeker will play Hayden first round, while the lady Panthers from Rangely will play the Paonia Eagles in the first round. The top two teams qualify for the regional tournament, held the following week in Palisade.