Steamboat Pilot & Today

Denver — In a thrilling, come-from-behind victory, the Steamboat Sailors volleyball team upended the Fort Morgan Mustangs Friday during the 4A state volleyball tournament at the Denver Coliseum.
The Sailors, who are 24-5 on the season, went 1-1 Friday, which marked the first half of the tournament. The second half continues today.
Despite losing to Berthoud in its first match, Steamboat kept its title hopes alive when it defeated Fort Morgan.
Jessica Johnson, who had nine kills against Berthoud, blasted a season-high 33 against Fort Morgan in the teams' three-set match. Jessica Fritz also put forth a strong effort against the Mustangs as she nailed 22 kills.
In the first game of the Fort Morgan match, Steamboat quickly fell behind 6-1 before Johnson scored two points that helped close the gap to 6-5. The two teams battled back and forth, and after a successful serve by Mustangs player Tara Baumgartner, Steamboat and Fort Morgan were tied 13-13.
Six sideouts ensued before Jessica Hammerick served the winning point that gave the Mustangs a 15-13 win.
Steamboat went ahead 11-7 in game two, but Baumgartner served four straight points to tie up the score. It was later tied 13-13 before Johnson landed a spike that put her team on top.
Lauren Dargevics blocked a Mustangs shot that earned the Sailors a 15-13 victory.
The Sailors had the momentum as game two concluded. But the No. 1-seeded Mustangs pulled ahead 9-3 in game three behind server Lindsey Baumgartner.
Johnson rallied her team back, though, when she spiked three balls and blocked a shot that tightened the margin to 9-7. She later nailed another spike to tie the game at 12-12.
The score was 15-15 before Steamboat scored the final two points for a dramatic 17-15 upset.
Katie Carter, who made a crucial block near the end of the match, said her team showed a lot of heart against the higher-seeded Mustangs. The Sailors are a No. 3 seed.
"It was so nerveracking," Carter said. "We knew if we lost this game we wouldn't have another chance.
"We didn't get ourselves down and I guess that's what got it."
In other action, Steamboat fell to Berthoud 15-10, 15-3. Montezuma-Cortez, the No. 1 seed in pool one, knocked off Pine Creek before it dropped a three-set match to Lewis-Palmer.
Catherine Beulke had 15 kills against Montezuma-Cortez as Lewis-Palmer won 15-13, 7-15, 15-7.
Fort Morgan, which is the No. 1 seed in pool two, defeated Summit 15-13, 15-7.
Steamboat must now face Summit at 9:15 a.m. today.
"I think that we know how great it feels to win now, especially against these big teams in a huge tournament," Fritz said.

To reach Eric Rineer call 871-4229 or e-mail erineer@amigo.net