Bucks defeat Broncos in third volleyball match

by Rhett Sifford
Sports Editor
The first two meetings between the San Juan and Monticello volleyball teams were as to be expected between rivals – exciting, back-and-forth battles that went the distance to five sets on both occasions.
The Broncos held a two-games-to-none edge headed into the teams’ final meeting of the season in the Monticello High School gymnasium on Tuesday, September 13. Not surprisingly, it was one last knock-down-drag-out fight.
San Juan drew first blood with a 25-13 domination in set one, but Monticello turned the tables to even the match with a 25-17 win. Then the Buckaroos took the advantage with a tight 25-21 win in the third set.
Fighting to keep the match alive, the Broncos rallied to win the fourth set 25-17 and force a fifth. In that final set, Monticello held sway to take the win 15-7 and the match 3-2.
The Bucks avoided being shut out in the season series with the victory, and it’s unfortunate that the two teams don’t play each other another four or five times this year. The matchup has truly been an even dual with exciting matches throughout.
San Juan had split their two matches in the week leading up to the meeting with Monticello, with a 3-0 sweep of another rival, the Grand County Red Devils on September 7. The Broncos suffered a four-set loss at Kanab the following night.
After the loss in Monticello, San Juan played one more back-to-back match this past Wednesday, September 14, handling Enterprise easily in a straight-sets sweep.
Well into the season the Broncos are 8-6 on the year and they’ve cracked the top five of the 2A RPI standings. They sit in fourth place behind Kanab, Parowan, and North Summit heading into play this week.
San Juan hits the road to take on #17 Beaver in their only match of the week on Friday, September 23. The Beavers are 2-7 coming into the contest.
Monticello went 2-1 in the week they faced San Juan, improving to 5-7 on the year. The Buckaroos lost in four sets to undefeated Dove Creek on September 7, then swept Pinnacle on September 9.
They’re ranked ninth in the 1A Utah volleyball RPI with matches against fellow San Juan County foes Monument Valley and Whitehorse set for this week.
They took on the Cougars in Monument Valley on Tuesday, September 20. They face the Raiders on Wednesday, September 21 before taking the rest of the week off.
Monument Valley was 2-0 coming into the match, ranked fifth in the 1A RPI. Whitehorse was 0-3 ranked 20th heading into the week, but the Raiders also played on Tuesday, against Green River.