Bronco volleyball battles through week, Coach Black receives gifts

The San Juan High School volleyball team welcomed Beaver to Blanding this past Tuesday, October 5 for a 2A Region 19 showdown. Beaver had the early momentum, but Naataanii Lacy rallied the Broncos with an ace serve in the first set.

Kaeahliyah Howard also aced to give San Juan an 8-7 lead and Lacy’s serves proved pivotal as San Juan took the first set 25-20.

In the second, Beaver set Bailey Brown on a gimme and she killed it. Kinley Noyes blocked an overpass. And Brown killed in the middle to help the Broncos take the second set 25-20.

Brown set an incredible assist to Noyes for a kill in the third, but the Beavers inched past the home team to take the set 25-21. The Broncos struggled to mount any offense and lost the fourth 25-14.

San Juan came out strong in the fifth set to build a 6-2 lead after a Macy Jacobsen kill in the middle. Noyes was able to get a good kill on the outside. But the visitors snuck up and beat the Broncos 15-12 to take the match 3-2.

Following the tough loss, San Juan traveled to Richfield where they took on several competitive opponents in the Sevier Valley Invitational Friday and Saturday, October 8-9.

The girls only picked up one win, against Grantsville, but they gained some important experience and racked up some stats.

Over 12 sets played, Noyes averaged six kills and two digs. Howard had an ace, a kill, an assist, and four digs. Lacy had an ace and four digs. Macee Conway had an ace and four digs. And Jaci Su’esu’e had three kills.

Jacobsen averaged four kills and four digs. Brown averaged five kills, seven assists, and nine digs. Avina Cordova averaged eight assists and four digs. And Serina Yanito got a kill and an assist.

The big story on the weekend involved the community spirit that reached out to Bronco Head Coach Marci Black.

An effort headed up by former Blanding resident and Richfield Coach Cassie Moon saw all the tournament teams giving personalized gifts to the Black family to show their sympathy for the family’s recent loss of their husband and father.

An emotional Moon explained that she loved Marci when she coached her at San Juan and wanted to help in some small way. She gave personal information to the teams so they could put together baskets for each of the Black children and family to show their support.

The gifts and show of love was received very gratefully and many tears were shed by all the teams.

Following the past week, San Juan is 6-15, ranked #19 in the most recent 2A RPI standings. They’ll take most of this week off to set up for a round trip to western Utah to take on Parowan and Enterprise Friday and Saturday, October 15 and 16.