Monticello volleyball team is on an 8-2 run as they head into final game of regular season

by Rhett Sifford
Sports Editor
Through the first half of the 2023 Utah high school volleyball season the Monticello Buckaroos were 4-8, steadily ranked around tenth in the 1A RPI standings.
In the last two weeks of September though, the Lady Bucks found a solid rhythm to start Region 19 play, building a six-game winning streak to close out the month.
In that time they didn’t lose a single set, sweeping Pinnacle, Monument Valley, Whitehorse, Green River, and Montezuma-Cortez twice.
MHS has split their four matches so far in October with straight-sets wins over Pinnacle and Whitehorse and straight-sets losses to Dove Creek and San Juan.
In the last five weeks the Lady Bucks have staged a quiet but impressive comeback with eight wins and two losses, moving to 12-10 as they prepare for their final game of the regular season.
They traveled to face Region 19 rival Monument Valley this Tuesday, October 17 looking to sweep their season series with the Lady Cougars.
The game was played too late for the San Juan Record print deadline, but if Monticello did what they’re favored to do, they’ll finish the season 13-10 which should be good enough for a top-six spot in the final standings when they’re revealed this weekend.
It would also mean the Lady Bucks won the Region 19 Championship with a perfect 8-0 record, having not lost a single set to a region opponent this season.
The top ten teams in the 1A standings all enjoy a first-round bye in the state tournament so the Lady Bucks are well within that range regardless of what happened on Tuesday. They’ll head straight to Utah Valley University for the second round on October 27.
The stats for Monticello are incomplete, but they’re close. In the 19 matches reported Shayla Pehrson leads the team with a 93.3 serve percentage. She has 27 aces in 233 attempts.
Hannah Barry has a team-high 51 aces in 261 attempts with an 85.8 serve percentage. Taylor Barry is right behind her twin sister with 49 aces. AJ Young is serving 83.8 percent with 30 aces in 173 attempts.
Kyleigh Adair has an 83.2 serve percentage with 26 aces in 167 attempts. And Alise Lewis is serving 82.8 percent with 21 aces and 145 attempts.
Pehrson is also leading the team in kills with 121. Taylor Barry has 106, Lewis has 105, Young 78, Adair 33, and Hannah Barry 27.
Defensively Taylor Barry has an impressive 155 digs. Lewis has 145, Pehrson has 138, Hannah Barry has 117, Young 95, Madi Adair 36, and Kyleigh Adair 26.
Pehrson leads the Lady Bucks’ net defense with 24 blocks. Lewis has 17, Taylor Barry has ten, Young five, and Kyleigh Adair has blocked three opponent shots.