Volleyballers Finish at 4th

Malachi gets ready to help cheer

In tournament play that can only be described as incredible, the Lady Eagles battled first Beth Eden and then Hyland Christian to end up in 4th place at the Front Range Christian Athletic Association's season finale.  Spectators, coaches, and players alike were all impressed with the competitiveness of each team and the tournament as a whole - every match throughout the day went to five games, and every fifth game was close!

 The Eagles were no exception: in the first match against Beth Eden, DPCA and the Knights scored back and forth in long volleys through a five-game series.  DPCA came out on top in the first game, then Beth Eden surged ahead in the second.  Consistent play won the third game for the Eagles, but Beth Eden refused to give up and fought back to win the 4th.  With the match score tied 2-2, both teams entered the 5th game ready to play hard.  In the end, Beth Eden was able to pull out a narrow victory, and the Eagles dropped to the consolation bracket to play Hyland for 3rd place.

Kate on the attack...

Loyal fans!

The match for 3rd was just as tight, although at first it seemed that the Eagles might not be able to keep up with the Hyland Cougars.  Though the Eagles made many good plays, Hyland put up two wins, and it looked like the match might fall in three.  The Eagles rallied in the third, though, and posted a win over the Cougars, then did a repeat in the 4th game and again brought the match to the 2-2 mark.  The 5th game saw the Eagles playing with persistence through long volleys and attacking well, and the score remained neck and neck to the very end, when the Cougars were finally able to move ahead by two and close the final game 15-13.

Becca's turn to attack.

Heather passing...

The Beth Eden Knights went on to win the tournament in a narrow five-game series against Front Range Baptist, demonstrating that the Eagles, and in fact all four teams present, were strong contenders and well matched.  "I don't think I've ever been at a volleyball tournament where every match went to five games," noted DPCA athletic director Tom Navarrette. "The teams were really evenly matched, and it came down to particular plays and the twists and turns of the action."  "I'm really proud of our girls and the great season they had," he added.  Mr Ben Little, the girls' coach, echoed that: "We were in legitimate contention for first in the league, and sure, it would have been great to achieve that," he said. "But the girls worked really hard and came together really well as a team this season, and I'm proud of them and their efforts." 

And Keely launches one of her blazing spikes!

At the close of the tournament, three DPCA students were recognized for their hard work and quality play in the tournament and throughout the season.  Keely Campbell and Rebecca Pranger received all-tournament honors, while Pranger and Heather Burdges also received all-conference medals. 

Rebecca Pranger, a senior this year, noted,

"Overall, it a really great volleyball season. We had a really amazing and competitive group of girls who came together to play this year. Each of us individually adapted quickly to the rest of the team and entered the rotation without hesitation.

Our main goal this season was to not let our mistakes override our ability to play as a team; to keep our mental focus. There was definite growth in this area, and it was really fun to see us all come together and work towards that goal. This volleyball season was so fun, and I loved playing competitively with my teammates; I will for sure miss not playing next year"

Alli digs in for the pass while Coach Little thinks the game.

Junior Keely Campbell added, "It was a great season - fun to be back in the game and playing with all these wonderful ladies. I'm thankful for the way God has blessed the team this year with a lot of improvement and allowing us to get to the state tournament."