MEEKER | The Meeker High School volleyball team hit the road this past weekend, traveling to Olathe on Saturday to take on the Pirates.
The last time the two teams met was Oct. 26, 2024, when the Cowboys hosted Olathe in Meeker and won in straight sets. This time, the Cowboys were on the road, and while the Pirates were likely looking for revenge, it didn’t go their way. Meeker swept the match 3-0, with final scores of 25-17, 25-19 and 25-20.
Freshman Raegan Clatterbaugh led the offense with eight kills and two block assists, while junior Sawyer May followed with six kills and a .200 hitting percentage. Senior Jacey Follman directed the offense efficiently with 21 assists and added 17 digs on defense. Senior Rylee Sullivan turned in a strong all-around performance with nine aces, 15 digs and five kills, while senior Braydin Raley anchored the back row with a team-high 19 digs and 28 serve receptions.
The Cowboys’ serving was a major factor in the win, highlighted by Sullivan’s 100% serving rate and May’s consistency from the line. With the victory, Meeker improved to 12-5 overall on the season.
Following the match, head coach Greg Cravens praised his team’s adaptability and execution.
“I thought the team played well,” Cravens said. “We changed our lineup a little bit, and the girls adjusted just like I knew they would.”
Cravens noted that Meeker’s strong service game played a major role in the win.
“Our serving was on point — 13 aces to only six errors,” he said. “Rylee had eight aces, and it was great to watch her do her thing. Defensively, I thought we did a great job making sure the ball didn’t land in our square.”
He also credited the team’s communication and energy on the road.
“They always do a great job of creating energy within the team,” Cravens said. “With some playing new positions, we did a great job making sure we were talking to each other.”
Cravens explained that a simplified offensive approach has helped the team settle into a rhythm.
“After the last few weeks, I felt like I was making things more complicated than it needed to be,” he said. “We had girls playing different positions almost every rotation, and it just wasn’t working, so we went back to a 5-1 vanilla offense. As a coaching staff, we were very pleased with how the girls reacted.”
As for the quick turnaround heading into Monday’s home match against Vail Mountain, Cravens said the team was ready.
“No time to work on things,” he said. “It will be fun for us to just turn around and play again Monday and Tuesday.”
He added that the late-season schedule provides valuable preparation for the postseason.
“It will be a good challenge for us,” Cravens said. “It will make us better for the postseason. As always, we need to be better at passing and continue with our serving. We’ve also been looking to be better offensively the last few weeks and need to continue our work. We need to score more points per set before and during the playoffs.”
Senior Rylee Sullivan reflected on her serving performance and what it means to her as she closes out her final season.
“I was very focused on keeping the ball in since the gym felt so big,” Sullivan said. “I felt very accomplished after serving so many points because I haven’t had a run like that in a long time. I feel like I have fulfilled my purpose as a senior and will leave a lasting impact on the underclassmen. Overnight trips definitely stand out the most, as well as going to state. I hope to lead the team to state.”
Earlier this week, the Cowboys returned home Monday evening to take on Vail Mountain. The teams last met Oct. 25, 2024, when Meeker traveled to Vail and earned a straight-set sweep. This time, the Gore Rangers came to Meeker looking for revenge, but the Cowboys defended their home court with another 3-0 sweep, winning 25-15, 25-21 and 25-15.
It was a balanced effort across the board for Meeker. Junior Sawyer May and senior Rylee Sullivan led the attack with seven kills apiece, while senior Lilly Newman added five kills to keep the offense rolling. Senior setter Jacey Follman guided the offense with 23 assists and anchored the defense with a team-high 17 digs.
Defensively, Braydin Raley turned in another strong performance with 12 digs and a team-best 28 serve receptions. Clatterbaugh and May each recorded a solo block at the net. At the service line, Meeker posted a 90% team serving percentage, with Sullivan and Newman each tallying three aces. Follman and Raley also maintained consistent pressure on serve.
With Monday’s win, the Cowboys improved to 13-5 overall and 8-2 in league play, sitting in third place in the 2A/1A Western Slope League. As of Sunday, Oct. 26, Meeker is ranked No. 16 in the CHSAA 2A index.
The Cowboys now turn their attention to Tuesday night’s home matchup against Roaring Fork. The teams last met earlier this season at the Glenwood Springs Tournament on Aug. 23, when Meeker earned a 2-0 sweep. The Rams enter the matchup with an 8-13 record.
Tuesday’s game will also serve as Senior Night for the Cowboys, honoring seven seniors — Rylee Sullivan, Jacey Follman, Braydin Raley, Shailee Rundberg, Lilly Newman, Lissbeth Sanchez and Morgan Keetch — who have each played key roles in the program’s success.
Meeker will close out the regular season this weekend at the Buena Vista Tournament. On Friday, Oct. 31, the Cowboys will face Gunnison at 3:30 p.m., followed by the tournament host Buena Vista at 6:30 p.m. The following day, Meeker will return to the court against Middle Park at 9 a.m. and Del Norte at 12:45 p.m.
As Meeker heads into its final week of regular-season play, the Cowboys’ focus remains on fine-tuning details and building confidence for the postseason. With a veteran core leading the way and younger players stepping up in key moments, the team’s chemistry and consistency continue to shine.
Meeker volleyball seniors. Back row from left to right: #5 Jacey Follman, #4 Shailee Rundberg, #14 Lissbeth Sanchez, #8 Lilly Newman; front row from left to right: #3 Braydin Raley, #12 Morgan Keetch, and #10 Rylee Sullivan. AMBER GARCIA PHOTO
