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Box Score 4 The Colorado Northwestern Community College (CNCC) Spartans women's volleyball team kicked off their 2024 season with a strong showing at the Gillette College Labor Day Tournament. Over the course of three days, the team, led by first-year Head Coach Casey Quiggle—affectionately known as "Quiggs"—competed in five matches, gaining valuable experience and demonstrating their potential.
With a roster comprised of 10 freshmen and only 2 sophomores, the Lady Spartans entered the tournament with a mix of excitement and nerves. The inexperience of the team was evident at times, but so was their determination to prove they belong at the collegiate level.
"I feel we have a competitive team, and the girls have been great in practicing and training over the past month," said Coach Quiggle. "We still have work to do and plenty of room to improve, but this tournament was a good introduction for the girls to competing at the college level."
The tournament began on Thursday, August 29th, with matches against Gillette College and Northwest College. The Lady Spartans struggled to find their rhythm and were swept in both matches, but the team remained undeterred.
Friday's matches against Miles Community College and Dawson Community College saw the Spartans begin to find their stride. Though they were again swept in both matches, the team played with much more cohesion, with four of the sets being decided by just two points.
"We're starting to figure things out and play more as a team," Coach Quiggle noted after Friday's matches. "If we can minimize our errors, we can win these close matches. I fully believe we'll come out in our final match on Saturday with more confidence and a win."
That confidence proved prophetic, as the Lady Spartans finally broke through on Saturday with a dominant 3-0 sweep over Dakota College, ending the program's winless streak dating back to the 2021 season. The Spartans were in control throughout the match, winning decisively with scores of 25-14, 25-19, and 25-19.
"Not only did we play more as a team, but everyone stepped up and played at a higher level today," said Coach Quiggle.
The victory was a true team effort, with standout performances across the board. JoJo Crosby, Abby Fieth, Randy Pace, and Lola Rivera all had efficient offensive games, while Ellie Crookston anchored the defense with stellar play as the Libero. Additionally, Braelyn Allred ran a 5-1 offense throughout the weekend, a role she embraced after the team had to adjust due to an injury to Kaylae Medina.
"Having Braelyn run a 5-1 wasn't part of our original plan, but she did a fantastic job stepping up and running a smart offensive attack throughout the weekend," Quiggle remarked.
Reflecting on the weekend, Coach Quiggle expressed pride in the team's resilience and the accomplishment of one of their early-season goals. "It was exciting to achieve one of our goals in our first weekend of competition. Of course, we plan to continue improving and win more than just one match, but this team should take pride in this win and carry this feeling as motivation as we continue the season. I'm proud of the resiliency we showed this weekend and look forward to what's to come."
With their first win under their belt, the Lady Spartans are eager to build on their success and continue growing as a team throughout the 2024 season.
