GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. When Glenwood Springs junior setter Kelly Lawson starts jump serving, teams really have to be on their toes.Rifle found that out on Tuesday as Lawson snuck in five aces in game three of Glenwood’s 3-0 (25-17, 25-22, 25-16) victory in the rivalry matchup that opened 2007 Class 4A Western Slope League play.”That was pretty cool because I haven’t jumped served in any games yet, so that was fun,” said Lawson, who considers serving one of her strengths.

Lawson totaled five aces in the match, and combined with three each from Chelsea Vallario and Avery Denney and one from Carly Stillman, the Demons packed a powerful punch.”They are building confidence all the time with serving,” said Glenwood Springs head coach Scott Nykerk. “They are all starting to jump or work on jumps at practice.”The match was in no way an easy one for Glenwood, who faced a tough Rifle team much improved from previous seasons. The Bears proved their toughness by scoring five straight points in game one.”I told the girls no matter what the outcome is, I think we have improved,” said Rifle head coach Geneva Farr. “… I am pretty proud of them.”

With Rifle up 5-0, Vallario threw down her three aces in succession to put Glenwood up 10-6. Toni Gottschalck then got involved, attacking the net and recording four kills as the Demons took game one.Game two was close. It went back and forth until two Denney aces got Glenwood rolling. Rifle’s Sandy Samson served an ace and posted a few kills as Rifle tried to stay in the game, but Glenwood took the game 25-22.”We played pretty solid,” Nykerk said of his team. “We had spurts of giving them a few points, but I feel like we played pretty solid.”By game three, Glenwood had all the momentum and with Lawson serving, Glenwood quickly gained a 10-1 lead. The Bears fought back, but Glenwood clinched the win on a Billie McCauly kill.

“It felt good. We all had a lot of fun out there,” Lawson said.Samson led the Bears with four kills and two aces, while Brianna Bascom had three blocks and two kills. “We have a very, very young team and from what you saw on the court, it is only going to get better as the years progress,” Farr said of the Bears. “Even as the season progresses.”Glenwood will have another league game on Thursday at Palisade, while Rifle will also hit the road to face WSL foe Delta on Thursday.