Durango picks up volleyball victory over Moapa

Ray Brewer

Saturday, Oct. 4, 1997 | 3:51 a.m.

They go together like hamburgers and French fries.

Durango senior setter Sarah Gubler and outside hitter Blair Wilkes have given opponents havoc all season in leading the Trailblazers to a 22-4 record atop the Sunrise Division.

It was business as usual on Saturday at Durango as the duo turned up the heat in defeating class 3A Moapa Valley 15-9, 15-12. Gubler finished the match with 19 assists and Wilkes added nine kills and four blocks. In the second set, Wilkes sealed the victory for Durango with six kills.

"They (Gubler and Wilkes) have been doing a lot for us," Durango coach Bob Kelly said. "If we get the ball to the net, not only can Blair put it away, she opens up a lot of wholes."

Durango jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead in the first set, with junior Candice Gomez picking up eight service points including two aces. After Moapa earned a sideout, they rallied to score seven straight points behind three kills from Jordan Adams and a few Durango errors.

The Trailblazers battled back to outscore Moapa 5-2 to close out the first set. Wilkes and Gubler connected for back-to-back sideouts when Moapa was threatening late in the set.

"I think we played very well," Kelly said. "Moapa has a good team with great athletes...I thought we did real well against them."

In the second set, Moapa jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead, but Durango answered back with 10 straight points to take a 10-3 advantage. Junior Cindy Armentrout had three kills in the Durango rally.

Moapa never folded its tent as Camrin Hills set Adams up for three kills to bring the Pirates within four points, 12-8. Adams also had an ace in the run.

Durango sophomore Jennifer Johnson had a kill to capture the final point of the match.

"I thought we played real well," Wilkes said. "We were coming of off a tournament that we didn't play real well in at the end. Today we were focused and played hard as a team."

For Durango, team passing was the key.

"We've been getting good team passing that makes it easier," Kelly said.