Competing with 29 other teams at the Payson Invitational volleyball tournament last weekend, the Holbrook Lady Roadrunners finished bracket play in sixth place on Saturday.
In pool play, consisting of one game played to 30 points with a time limit, Holbrook went 3-2. The Roadrunners defeated Page, 26-25, Cesar Chavez, 30-10, and Marana, 30-16. Losses were to Payson, 30-20, and Verrado, 30-19.
Matches in cross pool action were two games to 21 or a 25-minute time limit. Under those guidelines, the Birds split with Safford losing 21-19 and winning 11-8. They defeated Window Rock 21-13 and 16-14, and Ganado 21-15 and 16-15.
Saturday’s action was a double elimination bracket with two games to 25 and game three played to 11. The Birds fell to Coconino in their first match 25-23, 22-25 and 6-11. They bounced back to beat Safford in three games, 25-12, 20-25 and 11-10. They fell to Payson in their final match of the tournament, losing in two games 25-10 and 25-22.
Over the course of the tournament, Teyah Goldtooth served 13 aces for Holbrook, and had 56 kills, two assists and 52 digs. Adriana Monroe finished with two aces, five kills and 22 digs. Alex Jeffers-Sample added two kills, 35 assists and 19 digs. Ashley Attakai had seven kills and three digs. Darian Hollins helped with an ace, 16 kills and nine digs. Demi Phaturos added an ace, an assist and 52 digs. Dena Kinlicheenie finished with 10 aces, three kills, 73 assists and 27 digs. Dishie Kinlicheenie added five assists and three digs. Lauren Silversmith helped with an ace, nine kills and five digs. Nizhoni Begay had four assists and seven digs. Shayna Carlson totaled six kills, five assists and nine digs. Terrilyn Lester wrapped things up with nine aces, 51 kills, and 27 digs.
The Roadrunners carried their momentum from the tourney into this week’s action with an impressive win at Blue Ridge on Tuesday night. Holbrook won the first game, 25-21, cruised to victory in the second, 25-15, then closed out the match by taking game three almost as easily, 25-17.
Holbrook finished the match with 35 kills led by Goldtooth with 14. Lester added 11; Silversmith, five; Hollins, three; and Attakai and Dishie Kinlicheenie, one each. Monroe served three aces, Jeffers-Sample added two and Phaturos had one. Dishie Kinlicheenie and Lester were each credited with 1.5 blocks, and Goldtooth also returned one Yellowjacket kill attempt. Dena Kinlicheenie led the team in assists with 16, followed by Jeffers-Sample with 11; Dishie Kinlicheenie, three; Carlson and Phaturos, two each; and Goldtooth, one.
Defensively, Monroe finished with 13 digs; Dena Kinlicheenie, nine; Goldtooth, eight; Phaturos, seven; Jeffers-Sample and Carlson, three each; Dishie Kinlicheenie, two; and Hollins and Silversmith, one each.
With the win the Lady Birds improved to 2-0 in non-tournament play. They will resume action on Tuesday, Sept. 16, with a trip to Chinle. On Thursday, Sept. 18, they play on their home court when Ganado makes a visit to Muñoz Gym.
