Playing host to longtime San Juan Basin League foe Mancos High School on Aug. 28, Dove Creek High School’s girls volleyball team continued its impressive early-season run and pinned down a 25-17, 21-25, 25-14, 25-15 victory.
Among the keys to the Bulldogs’ four-game victory was a hard-hitting attack led by junior Cassie Gatlin, who hammered down a season-high 17 kills while making only eight hitting errors. Senior Breea Meyer had eight kills for Dove Creek, and sophomore Grace Hatfield had three.
On the opposite side of the court, Mancos was led offensively by junior Magdalena Hall, who had 11 kills. Senior Morgan Rose had six kills, and junior Isis Jaime had four. Twenty-eight total hitting errors haunted the Bluejays, however, as the blue-and-white-clad group was never able to mount long offensive runs.
Defensively, Dove Creek was led by Meyer, who registered 14 digs. Senior Madilyn Hankins dug 13 balls for Mancos, while junior Kiara Lingenfelter and Gatlin each registered 11 digs for the Bulldogs.
Senior Erika Peacock led Mancos defensively with 17 digs, while Jaime registered 14 digs, and Halls had 12. Halls also registered two blocks for Mancos, and Rose had one. Both teams came through with six total aces in the match, with Halls registering the most aces of any individual player with four.
Mancos dropped to 0-1 on the season with the loss, while Dove Creek improved to 3-0 overall. Both teams will return to action at the Gunnison Tournament on Sept. 1.