Monticello volleyball team wins three matches in past two weeks

by Rhett Sifford
Sports Editor
The Monticello High School volleyball team has won three of their last four matches following their first win of the season against Dove Creek on August 28.
The Lady Buckaroos defeated Pinnacle in straight sets on September 2 in Price, UT before suffering 3-2 and 3-1 road losses at Piute and Wayne.
Following those losses Monticello rebounded to sweep Green River September 9 then take down Nucla, CO in five sets on September 11. Monticello is 4-4 on the year and is ranked ninth in the Utah 1A standings.
The girls dominated at Pinnacle Academy in Price on September 2, winning 25-11, 25-10, and 25-7. Senior Marlee Mack led the offensive attack with seven kills while juniors Jane Burton and Shelby Rogers had six each and Maron Freestone got four.
Maron Freestone and Maddie Adair both served up five aces apiece to the Lady Pirates. Marlee Mack and Jane Burton got two apiece, and Makenna Peterson and Shelby Rogers got one ace each in the win.
Shelby Rogers earned Monticello’s sole block against Pinnacle while Madie Adair and Jane Burton got one dig apiece.
On September 5 the Lady Buckaroos took Piute the full distance to five sets, but were unable to earn a win. They won set one 25-13 but then Piute flipped the momentum to take set two 25-12.
Piute continued to roll, winning set three 25-11, But Monticello rallied to take the fourth set in a hard-fought, impressive frame.
The fifth and deciding set was another barn burner. Piute won, but the Lady Bucks were right on their heels in a 15-13 final.
Josie Mack and Maron Freestone led the team with six kills apiece in the loss. Josie Mack and Grace Coleman served two aces each.
Maron Freestone collected a very nice ten blocks in the game. And Madie Adair and Marlee Mack both got 31 assists apiece.
It was a four-set loss in Wayne on September 6 with the Lady Bucks’ only win coming in set three, 25-17. Maron Freestone again led the way with six kills in the game. She also served up two aces.
Freestone, Makenna Peterson, and Shelby Rogers all got six blocks each in the loss. Madie Adair led with 25 digs, while Marlee Mack got 23.
Monticello got back in the win column with a straight-sets victory over Green River in their second Region 19 match of the season. The Lady Bucks won 25-23, 25-23, and 25-16.
In their most recent match on September 11, it took the full five sets and it was a battle, but Monticello outlasted Nucla, CO three sets to two.
The Lady Buckaroos won the opening set 25-15, but lost in the second and third 25-22 and 25-18. The girls rallied to take the fourth set 25-15, then maintained that momentum to close out the Lady Mustangs 15-10 in the fifth.
Monticello only had one game scheduled this week – a Region 19 rivalry showdown with Monument Valley in the MHS gym on Tuesday, September 16.
That one was played too late for the San Juan Record print deadline. The team will welcome the Whitehorse Lady Raiders to Monticello on September 23.