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Rough Saturday for Roaring Fork

Jeff Caspersen
Post Independent Staff
Glenwood Springs, CO Colorado
Jeff Caspersen Post IndependentRoaring Fork junior Taylor Adams contorts her body to put a shot over the net during Saturday's match against visiting Olathe.
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CARBONDALE, Colorado – Little frustrates Carrie Shultz more than when her team does not play up to its potential.

On Saturday, in one of the most meaningful matches of the regular season, the Roaring Fork volleyball coach’s squad did not come close to matching its ability. Visiting Olathe knocked off the host Rams in three games, 25-23, 25-21, 27-25.

“We just didn’t play to our potential,” Shultz lamented. “We made a lot of errors. I’d like to say they beat us, but really I think we beat ourselves in the sense that we made a lot of errors.



“I never really saw the true Roaring Fork team that I see quite often. I saw it in moments, but not for long enough stretches.”

Each of the match’s three games were tight.



The first featured eight tie counts before the Pirates pulled away with a 6-0 swing to take a 23-17 lead. A late surge by the Rams made for a tense finish, but Olathe withstood the rally.

Eleven tie counts flavored a frenetic second game. Again, a flurry of late errors cost Roaring Fork.

An ace by Bethany Cox and a block by teammate Becca Tolen closed the game out.

Olathe jumped out to a 9-3 lead in the third game, prompting a timeout by an angry Shultz, who loudly challenged her team to up the intensity.

“Get over here right now!” she shouted at the Rams after signaling for the timeout. A tongue-lashing followed.

“I need to see some passion and intensity out of you!” Shultz yelled just before sending her players back out on the court.

Roaring Fork responded by whittling away at the Olathe lead. Eventually, the Rams scrapped back to tie it at 23.

Georgia Ackerman and Caitlin Kinney combined on a block to give Roaring Fork a 24-23 lead, but the Pirates bounced back to close out the match.

“We came in expecting to go five,” said Olathe coach Dan Rosentreter, whose team needed five games to beat the Rams back on Sept. 10. “I think either team could have won any of those three games. It was really competitive.”

“We know they’re a good team all around,” Pirates senior Tawni Middleton said. “They’re good at hitting, good at serving, good at defense – everything. We knew we had to be ready for them.”

Kylie Tait paced Olathe with 11 kills and three aces. Brenda Suarez chipped in with 10 kills. Cynthia Godfrey finished with 24 digs and Middleton had 23 assists.

The win vaulted Olathe into sole possession of first place in the 3A Western Slope League. The Pirates were 13-1 overall and 12-1 in league play entering Saturday night’s match against Coal Ridge. A score for that match was not known at press time.

Roaring Fork, which lost to Gunnison in four games (25-15, 25-23, 17-25, 25-17) later on Saturday, dropped to 12-3, both overall and in 3A WSL play.

At 11-3 in league play, Gunnison is now tied with the Rams in the loss column. That means the two teams are essentially in a deadlock for second place.

Coal Ridge, which defeated Gunnison on Saturday, currently sits in fourth place.

Next up for Roaring Fork is a home date with non-league foe Eagle Valley on Tuesday. The match is slated to start at 6 p.m.

jcaspersen@postindependent.com


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