GRANTS, N.M. - Is it the close battles they’ve been fighting through? Or is it something totally different?
Whatever the case, just last week, the Grants volleyball team posted two straight wins, with a winnable game in front of the players on September 29 against visiting Espanola Valley.
The Lady Pirates took a 3-0 win last week against Gallup on Tuesday, September 22, and after that, had some time off until a Saturday, September 26 matchup against Aztec.
They had a hard week of practice, conditioning and training for the team to be prepared for that Aztec matchup at the Port of the Pirates. Their practices included conditioning, drills, and training that helped prepare them physically and mentally for the game.
The game day theme was “Pajama Party,” so many fans dressed in their pajamas, but it was not a sleepy time for any of the three GHS volleyball teams.
The C team started at noon and took the win, and the JV team also took the win, going into three sets and winning 2-1, which left it up to varsity to take the win if they wanted to get a sweep for all three teams.
The varsity players were feeling extra confident, following that win against Gallup and the hard work they had put in throughout the week. After warming up, players were focused and ready to compete.
From the beginning of the first set, they showed strong communication and teamwork. They worked together to keep the ball alive, hustled after every ball, and fought for every point. Their determination paid off, as they won the first set 25-15.
Grants players started the second set feeling connected and ready to put in the effort to win another set with some great communication. They ended up winning the second set by 11 making it 20 in favor of the home team.
The Lady Pirates just needed to win one more set in order to take the sweep for the game. The third set was much closer, with both teams battling for every point. The Lady Pirates had to stay focused and communicate with each other as the set came down to the final points. With the score close, they continued to trust each other and stayed aggressive.
Their hard work paid off as they finished the set with a 25-23 victory, completing the 3-0 sweep.
The team has one more non-district game - at Kirtland Central on Thursday, October 1, before they start District play.
Varsity player Bianca Murillo acknowledged that the Lady Pirates were on a rough patch prior to last week but should be ready to compete with some tough teams.
“We had a bit of a losing streak,” Murillo said, “but we bounced back from it and now we’re on a two-game winning streak and hoping to keep it going in District games.”
Murillo also acknowledged that the team still has things it can improve on.
“I think we can work on our momentum in the game and keep that consistent flow through each set we play,” she said. “We tend to get down in at least one set per game and I think if we fix that we can come into District play ready to come back and compete.”
The Lady Pirates will be back at home on Tuesday, October 6 when Hope Christian comes to town. C team will start at 4 pm, JV will follow at 5 pm, and the varsity will close out the evening.