MEEKER | The Meeker High School volleyball team celebrated Homecoming with a decisive three-set sweep of the Hayden Tigers on Friday night, improving their record to 6-3 overall and 4-1 in the 2A/1A Western Slope League, placing them in second in the standings. The Cowboys rolled to a 25-19, 25-17, 25-19 victory.
Senior Lilly Newman led the way at the net, posting a team-high seven kills with an efficient .538 hitting percentage. Freshman Raegan Clatterbaugh added six kills, seven digs and two service aces, continuing to establish herself as a versatile two-way threat. Senior Rylee Sullivan contributed five kills and three aces, while junior Lilly Hernandez recorded five kills on .417 hitting.
The Cowboys were sharp from the service line, finishing with 11 aces. Senior Shailee Rundberg tallied four aces while serving at a 92.3 percent clip. Sullivan and Clatterbaugh combined for five more, with junior Sawyer May adding two.
At the setter position, senior Jacey Follman directed the offense with 16 assists, while sophomore Hailey Schwartz added nine. Defensively, senior Braydin Raley anchored the back row with 21 serve receptions against just one error, while Sullivan turned in 13 perfect serve receives.
Longtime head coach Greg Cravens, in his ninth season, praised his team’s performance in front of a packed home crowd. “I think the girls did a great job. This was a packed gym. It’s fun for the girls to be able to play in front of all these people,” Cravens said. “They stayed focused for three sets and took care of business.”
Cravens emphasized the leadership within the senior class. “Rylee and Braydin always do a good job of keeping us focused. Shailee Rundberg is our hugger. She’s the one that makes sure the girls feel tons of love. I’m very proud of this leadership group,” he said.
Newman reflected on her preparation and leadership. “I’ve been working in practice to learn how the other team plays, paying close attention to their defense and tendencies. Coaches and teammates help me stay focused and maximize my hitting. As a senior, I try to show the younger girls it’s okay to make mistakes and focus on the next play, which helps our team’s energy. Watching film and prepping with Coach Cravens helps me know what to do during matches.
“Playing home games has always been my favorite, especially with the loud support from parents and the student section. As a team, we need to stay focused and continue our fight. Rangely is one of our biggest rivals, so we need to bring our ‘swagger’ and play with our hearts.”
Rundberg reflected on her mindset and contributions. “It felt really good to contribute with both serving and attacking, especially when we get down on ourselves. Every time I step behind the service line, I tell myself, ‘This is going to be an ace.’ Positive self-talk really helps my serve rate. Playing my last homecoming game was bittersweet, but having the community support made it special. The team stayed focused on volleyball despite all the events, and this win adds confidence. If we stay confident and focused, I believe we won’t lose again this season.”
Clatterbaugh, adjusting to the speed of varsity play, credited the seniors for helping her stay calm. “As a freshman, adjusting to the speed of the game has been the hardest part. The seniors and upperclassmen have done a very good job reassuring me that I can do my job on the court. They are also great leaders on and off the court, always talking and keeping everyone calm.”
Looking ahead to Tuesday’s rematch with Rangely, Cravens emphasized preparation. “Our biggest thing is we need to be able to handle anything that they send over. We need to be good at getting the ball up, getting it to our center, and hitting back to the other team. Rangely always serves well, and they always fight when they come into this gym. So our biggest adjustment is just going to be to play hard, do the things that we do well, and we’ll have to weather some of the storms that they give us. They always play well in this gym, so we need to be ready.”
This week the Cowboys will welcome the 5-8 Rangely Panthers to their gym before going on the road this weekend to Cedaredge on Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. and the next day they are on the road at West Grand with that game scheduled for 4 p.m.
