RANGELY | The Meeker High School volleyball team traveled to Rangely this past weekend to take on the Panthers, earning a decisive three-set sweep to improve their record to 5-3 on the season. The Cowboys had entered the match with a 4-3 record, coming off a 3-2 victory over the Soroco Rams on Sept. 13. The win came at a key time, with homecoming this week, when the Cowboys will host the Hayden Tigers.
The Cowboys won the first set 25-19 and dominated the next two sets with identical 25-12 scores. Senior leadership and balanced contributions powered the Cowboys that afternoon in Rangely. At the net, senior Rylee Sullivan led the team with 10 kills, while fellow senior Lilly Newman added nine kills and finished with a .500 hitting percentage. Senior setter Jacey Follman guided the offense with 20 assists and contributed a team-high 13 digs to steady the defense.
The Cowboys’ serving was equally strong. Junior Sawyer May delivered six aces to spark momentum, while Follman and freshman Raegan Clatterbaugh each added multiple aces with near-perfect percentages. Defensively, Follman’s 13 digs, senior Braydin Raley’s 12, and Clatterbaugh’s nine helped keep long rallies alive. At the net, senior Shailee Rundberg recorded two solo blocks, while May, Newman, and Clatterbaugh added one apiece. In serve receive, Raley handled 17 receptions without an error, while Clatterbaugh managed 13 receptions, showing poise as a freshman.
Long time Head Coach Greg Cravens, in his ninth year with the program, praised the team’s overall performance, highlighting strong serving, passing, and offensive execution. “It was a pretty much an all-around good match for us. We had 14 aces to 5 errors serving. We passed 2.16, which is the best all season, and the big stat I talk to all the girls about is we averaged scoring 16 points a set, only asking Rangely to make nine errors so we can get to 25 points,” Cravens said.
Sullivan emphasized the team’s balance between offense and defense. “Rangely had some pretty big blocks, so hitting high hands or off their hands to where they couldn’t get the ball up was ideal. Defense means someone else can play offense, so it’s easy to balance it when you know someone is at the net waiting to hit. It was important, especially since it’s our rival game. It was also a confidence boost because we know what we can do together now. On and off the court, the younger girls brought unmatchable energy and it made the game so much more fun and intense. Every game is important and we need to stay focused even with all the festivities this week!” she said.
Cravens highlighted individual contributions, particularly from Follman and Newman. “Lily Newman has 1.6 kills a set on the season; on Saturday, she had three kills a set. Jacey Follman did a great job spreading the ball around the court. She finished with 20 assists on the day,” he said.
Looking ahead to homecoming and the Hayden Tigers, Cravens stressed balancing the excitement of the week with focus in the gym. “Homecoming is always a fun, memorable week for the girls. They will have tons of events to participate in. We talk every year about going out and having tons of fun, but when in the gym, it’s about volleyball and staying focused on team goals,” he said.
On Hayden, he added: “They will keep the ball in play and play hard. I haven’t watched them much yet, but they always bring it when they play us. We need to continue passing and serving well. We also need to continue finding places on their side of the court and score points.”
Cravens also acknowledged the role of home-court support. “To this point in the season, we have only had one home match. The team loves showing off their skills in front of the home crowd. We really appreciated everyone that came over to Rangely on Saturday. Having the boys up in the stands meant a lot to the team, and we really appreciate all the support,” he said.
Reflecting on the team’s growth, Cravens said: “This team has come together very well. Watch them play, they are hugging and cheering each other on. It is a pleasure to watch. They truly enjoy playing with each other. We need to continue our improvements in serving and passing, but we need to find a larger range of shots to score points. We need to be much better at that before the end of the season.”
Good luck to the Cowboys volleyball team as they prepare to take on the Hayden Tigers in their homecoming game on Friday evening. C team starts at 3 p.m., junior varsity at 4 p.m., and varsity at 5 p.m. Best of luck to the team as they defend their home court, and as always, go Cowboys!
