PREP SPORTS:

Boulder City volleyball equals win total of last fall

Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009 | 1:39 p.m.

The Boulder City High volleyball team has more wins this fall than all of last year — and it’s still the first month of the season.

The Eagles improved to 14-4 on Sept. 21 with a 3-1 (25-20, 25-15, 23-25, 25-15) victory against Needles, Calif., to surpass their win total of 13 victories from last year.

“We have a really good and cohesive group this year that is just playing well together,” Boulder City coach Cherise Roe said. “We have a good mix of girls with a lot of senior leadership.”

Senior libero Kelsey Ripplinger had 67 digs in the win, senior setter Paxton Fleming had 35 assists and senior hitter Lexi Jorgensen recorded 13 kills. Emily Boyster added 13 blocks.

Boulder City also beat Pahrump Valley on Sept. 18, winning in five games 17-25, 25-22, 25-20, 21-25 and 15-6. It was the first time Boulder City had beaten Pahrump, its former 3A Southern League opponent in four years.

After dropping the first game, Roe was proud of her girls’ effort in rallying for the victory.

“This showed them they have to have the endurance to play five games,” the coach said. “It shows them how the momentum of the match works and how you can lose a game and still have to (keep playing).”

Boulder City doesn’t open league play until Oct. 6 against Mesquite’s Virgin Valley High. The Eagles will only play four league games this year with the league down to three teams — Boulder City, Virgin Valley and Moapa Valley High of Overton.

“I like the fact that we have been able to play all of these games before getting into league,” Roe said. “It allows us to get into a fluid movement and figure out what’s going to work and what’s not going to work.”

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