Optimism and payback could be in the cards as the Manitou Springs girls volleyball team looks at its regional draw.
The Mustangs will head to Jefferson Academy this weekend for the three-team regional. They’ll start their run against Fort Lupton and then take on Jefferson Academy in the nightcap. Earlier in the season, the Mustangs (13-10 overall, 7-5 Tri-Peaks) played in the Jefferson Academy tournament and gave the Jaguars a tough test in a best-of-three match.
That match, way back in September, has the players feeling confident about this weekend.
“I’m excited because when we played Jefferson Academy at that tournament, it was a competitive match,” Ayla Flett said. “It went to three sets and we only lost by one because they capped (the scoring) at 17 points. We have a chance.”
The Mustangs wrapped up their regular season with a 3-0 loss to University on Oct. 27. The first two sets were competitive, but the Bulldogs were able to pull away in the third. Teryn Thime and Flett led the offensive effort with four kills each.
It was a solid test against a top-level team. University is the No. 6 seed heading into regionals and will host Bayfield and Rifle.
Manitou officially takes the No. 17 seed heading into the postseason. There are 12 regional hosts so the Mustangs certainly fit within the margin of error of teams that can score an upset coming out of the weekend.
“Because (the Jefferson Academy) tournament was so early in the season, we have seen so much growth,” coach Crissy Leonhardt said. “(Our match against the Jaguars) wasn’t a full match because they had a point cap, so it wasn’t really a true measurement of what that result should be.”
If the Mustangs can get two wins over the weekend and advance to the Denver Coliseum, it would mark the first state tournament appearance since 2015. The Mustangs have been close in recent years, even just a game away from getting to state last year.
Breaking through the region would be a great feather in the cap for the Manitou seniors who have never played in a state tournament.
“Going to state would be an amazing experience,” Flett said. “Just reaching that is a huge goal that the seniors would love to accomplish this year.”