Lady Blazers set tone for season

Andrew Towne
Posted 9/4/19

DOUGLAS – The Torrington Lady Blazer volleyball team made an early statement in the 2019 with a 4-2 weekend at the Douglas Invite.

The Lady Blazers picked up wins over Class 2A Big Horn, but more importantly, picked up two wins against Buffalo and a win over Douglas.

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Lady Blazers set tone for season

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DOUGLAS – The Torrington Lady Blazer volleyball team made an early statement in the 2019 with a 4-2 weekend at the Douglas Invite.

The Lady Blazers picked up wins over Class 2A Big Horn, but more importantly, picked up two wins against Buffalo and a win over Douglas.

The only two losses of the weekend came against Class 2A state runner-up Pine Bluffs.

“Playing Buffalo and Douglas gave us the confidence we need for the year,” THS coach Chelsi Jacksons said. “The fact we were able to beat Douglas and Buffalo so early in the season was a real boost.”

On Friday, the Lady Blazers picked up a 2-0 (25-16, 25-22) win over Big Horn before suffering the first loss of the season to Pine Bluffs 2-0 (25-20, 25-10). Torrington bounced back to wrap up Friday with a 2-1 (20-25, 25-21, 15-13) win over Buffalo.

With a 2-1 record in pool play, the Lady Blazers went into Saurday’s bracket portion of the tournament as the No. 7 seed, facing host Douglas.

After falling 25-22 in the opening set, Torrington countered with a 27-25 and 15-10 wins in the next two sets to pull off the upset over the Lady Bearcats.

It was the first time Torrington had beaten Douglas since the 2012 state championship season.

“It has set the tone for the remainder of the season,” Jackson said.

The win setup another match against Buffalo, and once again, Torrington edged Buffalo, 2-1 (25-20, 18-25, 15-12).

In the championship match, the Lady Blazers had a shot a Pine Bluffs again.

The Lady Hornets, again, pulled out a 2-0 (25-17, 25-23) win.

For the weekend senior Dani Masterson led Torrington with 30 kills, while sophomore Reece Halley added 28. Halley also had a team-high nine blocks. Morgan Bates served up a 91 percent success rate and had a 2.286 kill rate as a setter.

“They all shined. They all did so well,” Jackson said. “The girls mesh so well this year. They are so willing to fight for each other, and that’s a great thing.”

The Lady Blazers are back in action at Rawlins on Thursday, Sept. 5. First serve is scheduled for 6 p.m.