TORRINGTON – A clean sweep by the Torrington High School volleyball team against conference rival Burns secured the No. 2 seed for the Lady Blazers as the regular season ended over the weekend.
Each of the three sets between Torrington and Burns were neck-and-neck, but the Lady Blazers kept their composure to defend Willi Gym a final time on Friday, October 24, to win in three sets, 25-21, 25-21 and 27-25.
On Thursday, the Lady Blazers gave No. 1-ranked 3A East Douglas a run for the Bearcats’ money in a neck-and-neck four-set showdown. Douglas won the first two sets, 25-16 and 25-21. Torrington blasted back to take the third set, 25-15. The Lady Bearcats ultimately won the fourth set, 25-19, for a 3-1 victory.
The Lady Blazers board the bus for the 3A East regional tournament in Rawlins on Friday and Saturday, October 31-November 1. Torrington finished the regular season as the second seed with an 8-2 conference record. Regionals opens with the Lady Blazers playing Burns at 10 a.m. on Friday.
Burns
The first set found Torrington ahead by one, 20-19. The Lady Blazers clinched the win with a 5-2 run. Burns tangled with the net returning a hit by senior Brooklyn Asmus. Fellow senior Natalie Long served a point while sophomore Ellis Mortimore slammed three kills, including game point, 25-21.
Torrington controlled the scoreboard throughout the second set with the Lady Blazers scoring game point, 25-21, when Burns made an error returning a hit by Long.
The third set tied several times after 20. Kills by junior Zoe Wilson and Mortimore allowed Torrington to match Burns in scoring at 23.
Burns regained the lead, 24-23, before serving the ball out of bounds, resulting in a 24-24 stalemate.
Burns pulled up by one point, 25-24. An error by Burns returning a hit from Mortimore resulted in a deadlock at 25.
Senior Brooklyn Asmus spiked two kills for game point, 27-25.
Zoe Wilson collected double-digit kills against Burns at 10. Mortimore and Asmus both contributed seven kills with four by junior Kinley Bluemel, three from junior Sophia Wilson and two by senior Nakaya Sippel.
Mortimore and Zoe Wilson both served two aces. Long played setter and tallied 26 assists.
Long and senior Grace Kelly both defended the backcourt with 10 digs. Mortimore and Zoe Wilson each posted two blocks.
Douglas
Torrington opened the first set with the lead before Douglas overtook the Lady Blazers midway into the set to score game point, 25-16.
A neck-and-neck second set saw the lead switch hands several times before Douglas took control of the scoreboard late in the set to win, 25-21.
The Lady Blazers regrouped and battled back to take the third set by 10, 25-15.
Douglas responded in another close set for the win, 25-20.
Sophia Wilson paced the Lady Blazers offense with 12 kills. Asmus recorded seven kills, Zoe Wilson six, Mortimore five, Bluemel four, Long two and Sippel one.
Zoe Wilson aced three serves and Sophia Wilson two. Long tallied 26 assists as setter.
Long also collected 14 digs with 10 apiece by Mortimore and Kelly.
Mortimore, Asmus and Bleumel each defended the net with four blocks.
