RANGELY | The Rangely High School volleyball team delivered an outstanding performance on homecoming night, sweeping the Soroco Rams in three straight sets: 25-14, 25-12, and 25-21.
Senior Lexi LeBleu led the Panthers’ offense with a team-high nine kills, maintaining a kill percentage of 36% over the course of the match. Her aggressive play at the net was supported by fellow senior Emmeree Wagner, who contributed six kills with a hitting percentage of .235. Junior Aubrianna Tapia also made her mark, adding four kills with a remarkable .400 hitting percentage.
LeBleu dominated the service line, tallying four aces, while senior Kaitlyn Cox contributed one ace with a stellar 92.9% serving efficiency.
Defensively, Rangely showed great resilience, led by seniors Emma Winder and Emmeree Wagner. Wagner led the team with 12 digs, providing critical coverage on the backline, while Winder added 10 digs to keep Soroco’s offense at bay. The entire team played cohesively, with contributions from multiple players, including Cox, who recorded six digs, and Addison Scott, who pitched in with a solid defensive effort.
The third set was the closest, with Soroco rallying late to close the gap. However, Rangely’s experience and composure allowed them to finish strong, securing the set and the match 25-21.
The Rangely team faced a tough challenge on Saturday against cross-county rival Meeker, falling in three straight sets: 13-25, 18-25, and 22-25. Despite the loss, the Panthers showed determination, particularly in the third set, where they pushed Meeker to a close finish.
Senior Lexi LeBleu led Rangely’s offensive efforts with eight kills, maintaining a kill percentage of 29.6%. Kaitlyn Cox added four kills with a team-best hitting percentage of .250. Emmeree Wagner and Karlee Halcomb contributed two kills each, though the team struggled to find a consistent rhythm on offense, committing 17 errors across 91 attack attempts.
Rangely’s serving game was steady, with Wagner providing three service aces and LeBleu leading in total points with seven. However, Meeker’s defensive pressure limited Rangely’s overall effectiveness at the service line, as the Panthers finished with five serving errors.
Defensively, LeBleu again led the team with 10 digs, while Winder added eight. The Panthers tallied 34 total digs in the match but couldn’t stifle Meeker’s powerful attack. On the block, Cox and Wagner each contributed one solo block, helping to slow down Meeker’s offensive momentum in the later stages of the match.
Despite falling short, Rangely fought hard in the third set, tightening the score and showing resilience.
“The girls have vowed a renewed effort, and we’ll get another shot at Meeker on our home turf on Oct. 1,” the coach stated. Fans are encouraged to come out and support the Panthers in the rematch, with game times starting at 4 p.m. for the C team, 5 p.m. for JV, and varsity beginning around 6 p.m.
