Yuma High School’s volleyball team is trying to do all it can to work its way into the postseason.
The Outlaws played two exciting matches last week, losing a thriller in five sets at No. 2 Sedgwick County earlier in the week, then rallying from a 0-2 deficit to pull out a five-set thriller over Holyoke Friday night in their Homecoming match.
They are 8-12 entering their final matches of the regular season. The Outlaws host rival Wray on Friday, then close out at Limon on Tuesday.
They are No. 37 in the Class 2A CHSAA Seeding & Selection Index. Wray, 8-11, is No. 31, and Limon, 5-12, is No. 39.
“We play on Friday in our Pink Out game in The Pit,” coach Jamie Nighswonger said. “This is a really big game also, as they are ranked higher than us, and we are right on the edge of being qualified for regionals. I think if we can win that one and the game in Limon the following Tuesday, we should have a really good shot at continuing on.”
The Outlaws traveled to Julesburg earlier last week to take on the Sedgwick County Cougars. They surprised the No. 2 team in 2A with a 25-22 win in the first set. They lost the next two, 16-25, 20-25. It looked like it might end in four sets as Yuma trailed 24-22. However, the Outlaws rallied with four straight points for the 26-24 win, forcing a fifth set.
However, it did not go their way as they were handed an 8-15 loss.
“We played so hard and so well against Sedge,” Nighswonger said. “We…just ran out of steam, but man what a great effort.”
Alina Moran had eight kills, Berkley Nighswonger eight, Lauren Gonzales seven, Taryn Sheffield seven, Bailey Nighswonger three, and Aubrey Black two. Black had 19 setting assists, and Bailey Nighswonger six.
Yuma served 92.7 percent. Black was 18-18 with one ace, Sheffield 16-17 with one ace, Bailey Nighswonger 16-16, Gonzales 13-15 with three aces, Moran 13-15 with one ace, Berkley Nighswonger 9-10 with one ace, Carolina Ross 3-4, and Chloe Smith 1-1.
It was looking like it would be a sad Homecoming in The Pit, Friday night.
The Outlaws lost the first two sets, 17-25, 21-25.
However, they then completed turned it around. They won the third set 25-20 to provide some life. They then completely dominated the fourth set, leading 19-9 before winning 25-16.
That set up a fifth set, and Yuma kept the momentum going as they led from start to finish with a 15-8 win to complete the marathon comeback. It was roughly 9 p.m. before the match concluded.
“I was so excited we were able to pull out the match against Holyoke,” Nighswonger said. “It was Senior Night and Parent Night – so lots going on. To lose the first two sets and come back and win the next three is huge! What an awesome night!”
Gonzales has 12 kills, Moran 10, Sheffield eight, Berkley Nighswonger six, Bailey Nighswonger six, Black three, and Audrey Hermosillo three. Black led in setting assists with 33. Bailey Nighswonger was in eight blocks, and Gonzales and Sheffield five each. Black was 24-24 serving with three aces, Moran 17-18 with twoaces, Sheffield 13-13 with two aces, Bailey Nighswonger 13-15 with two aces, Gonzales 9-13 with two aces, Ross 4-5, Hermosillo 5-7, Berkley Nighswonger 4-4 and Braylynn Armstrong 2-2.