Steamboat Pilot & Today

Gypsum — Any residual effects of Thursday's loss to Battle Mountain didn't show Saturday for the Steamboat Springs High School volleyball team.

Despite coming out flat, the Sailors outlasted the Devils in four games, 25-22, 25-27, 25-20, 25-16.

"I felt both teams started a little flat," Steamboat coach Wendy Hall said. "I felt we needed more enthusiasm and energy on the floor, and it felt a little bit like a Saturday scrimmage. I wanted to give them a little charge. At some point in the third game, we stepped it up a notch and started playing better, and that stuff snowballs in a hurry."

After the two teams split an error-filled two games, Steamboat came out in the third game and established its dominance.

Steamboat jumped out, 5-1, before Eagle Valley mounted a comeback. The two teams exchanged points leaving the game at 14-14. Steamboat went up, 19-18, and Katy Gary then came up with some big kills and sparked the Sailors to a 25-20 win.

Steamboat's play in the third game carried over into the fourth, as the team dominated play from the first serve.

"I was really pleased with the way we finished the match; not so pleased with the way we started it," Hall said. "I thought we did a really nice job of making adjustments, especially on (Eagle Valley's) quick attacks. We were late, late, late, for how many swings? We at least finally started making some touches on it and were able to control the pass."

A real positive area for the Sailors was the play of sophomore setter Colleen King. After struggling in the first two games, King came out in the final two and took control of the game.

"She's been so good for us this year, and she was a little shaky in the first two games," Hall said. "But I thought she really settled down and started putting them right on the money for us."

The win improves Steamboat to 6-2 overall and 2-1 in the Western Slope League.

The Vail Daily's Ian Cropp contributed to this report.

- To reach Luke Graham, call 871-4229

or e-mail lgraham@steamboatpilot.com