The Dolores Bears’ volleyball season ended during the Class 2A Region C tournament Saturday.
Traveling to Cedaredge, the Bears were in a region with the hosting Bruins and the West Grand Mustangs.
Entering the round-robin tournament, the Bears knew that they would need to win both games to advance to the state tourney.
However, they dropped both matches in three sets, falling to West Grand 21-25, 20-25 and 16-25, before turning right around and dropping three consecutive games to Cedaredge, 16-25, 17-25, 13-25.
“The girls played hard,” coach Gina Hollen said in an e-mail on Monday. “Our communication and lack of trust in teammates ultimately got the best of us. The attitude on the court during West Grand was not as hopeful as it should have been. We seemed to be the team making errors.”
Hollen said the team played better against Cedaredge, but was unable to make the defensive adjustments necessary to win.
After dropping both matches Saturday, the Bears end their season at 11-12, finishing fifth in the San Juan Basin conference and second in the district tournament before falling in regional play.
Hollen explained how much the team improved throughout the season, specifically on controlling the ball, making smart hitting choices and digging the ball.
Looking forward, the Bears will miss seniors Larissa Umberger, Autumn Seeber and Breezy Milligin next year, but with most of the varsity team returning, their future seems bright.
“I am very optimistic for next year,” Hollen said, adding, “they can only get better.”
“It will be hard to replace my seniors,” she added. “Larissa brings a lot of court knowledge and leadership skills to the game. The upperclassmen have been good role models for the younger girls. I hope this carries on throughout the years.”