Home

Oak Creek — There's no doubt the Soroco High School volleyball team can play with any team in the league.

Evidence is in the team's last two games.

But if the Rams are to take the next step, they'll need to learn how to finish games.

A day after letting a 2-0 lead against Grand Valley slip through its hands, Soroco once again took big leads and fell, this time to league-leading Rangely on Saturday, 25-21, 25-20, 25-23.

"That's the biggest thing now is we can play with these teams," Soroco coach Kim Reeves said. "I told them this is the beginning of our next season. I really think the momentum is on our side right now."

With the district pigtail game - for a chance to play in the district tournament - slated for Tuesday, when Soroco will welcome Plateau Valley at 5 p.m., Reeves said she hopes the three-game loss against Rangely gives the Rams confidence.

"We've been talking to them about the mental part," Reeves said. "It's not looking at the scoreboard. It's just something mental they have to get through."

Soroco seemed to hit that mental barrier when the team reached 20 points.

In all three games, Soroco took leads of more than five points. But each time the team seemingly had the game in hand, Rangely battled back.

The Rams led the first game 13-8, the second game 20-16 and the third game 22-16 but lost all three.

Just when Soroco would appear primed to put the game away, Rangely would answer with Hillary Hayes and Kirstin Cushman.

The two outside hitters coupled key kills with Soroco errors to finish off the last two games.

"I want them to come out with the momentum and intensity like" Saturday, Reeves said. "Even though it's a loss, we stuck with a team that was undefeated in the league."

Soroco now plays at home at 5 p.m. Tuesday against Plateau Valley in the pigtail game. The winner advances to the district tournament to take on No. 1 seed Rangely.