At the Payson Invitational this past weekend, the Mingus Union High School volleyball team finished 7-5, and tied for fifth place out of 21 teams.
According to first-year Marauders Head Coach Brian Herman, the early season tournament is a good chance to figure things out without having to worry about affecting his team’s playoff standings.
“We put several players in different positions and really get a look at what we have,” Herman said. “Overall we played well. We had some matches in hand that we let slip away, and we matched up well with every team there.”
These types of tournaments don’t count toward the Arizona Interscholastic Association power point polls like regular season matches do, according to Herman.
Mingus currently sits ranked No. 23 in the Division III power point rankings with a 1-1 overall record.
The Marauders opened the season with an easy 3-0 win Aug. 30 over rival Camp Verde High School then lost to visiting Prescott High School on Thursday, Sept. 1, 3-0.
At the Payson Invitational, the Marauders finished 3-3 in pool play, defeating teams like Ceasar Chavez, Northland Preparatory and Show Low high schools. Mingus beat both Joseph City and Coconino high schools in cross pool play, 1-0.
In the Payson tournament, teams played only one game against one another during pool play. In bracket play, teams played a best-of-three format.
Mingus opened bracket play with 2-0 victories over both Safford and Blue Ridge high schools, but lost a tough one to Florence High School, 2-1.
The Marauders wrapped up the tournament with a 2-0 loss to Payson High School.
With a 1-1 [7-5 tournament play] record, Mingus travels to Chino Valley High School on Wednesday, Sept. 7.
The Cougars are 3-0 to start the 2011 season, having defeated Williams High School on Aug. 30, 3-2, and Seligman High School twice on Sept. 1, 3-0. Mingus and the Cougars get under way Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Mingus doesn’t return home until Tuesday, Sept. 13, when it plays host to cross-valley rival Sedona Red Rock High School at 6 p.m.
