When you’re hot, you’re hot.
And as the weather locally cools, the Mingus Marauder volleyball team is definitely on the sizzling end of the thermometer after its first win of the season Sept. 19 and four tournament victories this weekend in Phoenix.
“Everything finally meshed,” Marauders coach Amanda Puckett said after Thursday night’s 3-1 win over the Bears. “We finally had the heart to win the game and the desire to seal the deal.”
Mingus travelled to the Wolves Classic at Estrella Foothills High School in Phoenix to play the next day in a six-game tournament that took place over Friday and Saturday. Instead of playing tired from the comeback win at home, the Marauders rode a wave of momentum, taking down all three opponents — Parker, Pusch Ridge Christian Academy and host Estrella Foothills — by a combined set score of 6-1 to advance into Saturday’s tournament championship bracket.
“Overall the girls played really well,” Puckett said. “It was a great tournament for us and we learned a lot as a team.”
Although the Marauders did not fare as well Saturday, with 2-0 losses to higher-seeded teams Safford and Verrado after a 2-1 victory over Youngker, the Mingus volleyball team is in a completely different place going into its 6 p.m. home face-off Sept. 26 against Coronado than it was a week ago — still searching for its first victory after an 0-3 start.
“We need to keep the intensity levels up, keep our focus,” Puckett said after the initial victory over Bradshaw Mountain.
For the full story, please see the Wednesday, Sept. 25, issue of the Cottonwood Journal Extra.
