'Stangs stand up to Challenge
Mullen sweeps Smoky Hill in Round 2 of the Centennial League Challenge; Arapahoe is next, on Thursday, then a regular season-ending appearance in the Discovery Canyon Tournament on Saturday.
AURORA -- The gauntlet that is Centennial League volleyball soon will be over for Mullen.
The Class 4A Mustangs won a roadie by sweep on Tuesday night, 25-19, 25-17, 25-18, in the second round of the Centennial League Challenge, a mini series of sorts near the end of the regular season designed to generate matches as well as eliminate the taxing home-and-away between 5A loop teams.
Now 9-9 overall, Mullen will have Round 3 in the Challenge on Thursday night at Arapahoe, which swept Overland 25-19, 25-17, 25-18 on Tuesday, first serves at 6:30 p.m.
“It’s always hard in our league,” head coach Jeff Oliver said after his team snapped a four-match losing streak. “5A volleyball is really good. But I thought the girls did well tonight and, hopefully, we’ll do well against Arapahoe and do well in the (Discovery Canyon) Tournament.”
His team’s striking, Oliver said, “was good, we had some really good hitting.”
Topped by junior Liv Beckish and sophomore Devon Moore, Mullen trailed only once, early in the second set, in generally having its way with the Buffaloes.
“We’;ve played some really tough teams,” Moore said, “and tonight we got to run some fun plays with our setters that we usually don’t get to run.”
Concerning Arapahoe, the Mustangs dropped the 5-setter 21-25, 25-10, 25-16, 23-25, 15-11 and are eager for another shot.
On Saturday, they’ll be in Colorado Springs for four matches hosted by the Thunder, including against 4A challenger Erie.
Following the victory against Smoky Hill, Mullen was No. 26 in RPI, the main qualifier for the postseason. Thirty-six teams will advance to next week’s regional rounds.
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