Vail Christian has big goals going into 2A state volleyball tournament

In May 2021, Vail Christian’s first loss of the COVID-shortened year came at this worst time: an elimination game at the 2021 state volleyball tournament. The team’s current seniors were sophomores on that 11-1 team, which fell to No. 4 Fowler 25-15, 23-25, 25-17, 25-13, and was never afforded the usual consolation tournament opportunity. Now, those players — Aria Webster, Mayal Telles, Grace Engleby, Maeve Courtney, Daisy Palacio, Kamryn Mitchell and Payton Vermeer — will lead a deeper, more experienced No. 6-seeded Saints (20-3) into their 2A state tournament first-round game against No. 11 North Fork (19-5) this Thursday at 11 a.m. at the Denver Coliseum.

“I think we kind of went in with a lot of nerves and stress,” senior outside hitter Grace Engleby reflected on her first-ever state trip back in 2021 after last Friday’s state-clinching win over Lake County.

“I think if we just go in and play aggressive, … we have such a deep bench — there’s so many girls who can go in anywhere, anytime — and I think if we’re able to utilize that as well, it can help us a lot.”

“That’s a tough question,” coach Adina Petersmeyer replied when asked how the two squad’s compare after Friday’s game, noting that the 2021 team was led by “two amazing senior superstars” but was otherwise, relatively young.

“So when we got to the state stage, that was a lot of pressure and experiences that that team hadn’t seen,” she continued. “(This year) we have a lot of seniors and we’re a very mature team, so these girls are ready to work it out and they have the experience and confidence to know that they belong there and they will show up as their best selves.”

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The Saints have a pulse on their first round opponent and potential second-round foe as well. Vail Christian took down North Fork in a five-set (25-23, 22-25, 25-17, 21-25, 15-13) regular season road battle back on Oct. 25. If the Saints can emerge victorious again on Thursday morning, they’ll face No. 3 Meeker (23-2), the Western Slope League champions at 5 p.m. On Sept. 23, the Saints were swept by the Cowboys, 25-17, 25-21, 26-24.

No. 5 Strasburg — sitting on the other side of the bracket — handed the Saints one of their other losses on Oct. 22. Petersmeyer, who hopes to see her girls at least grab a final four appearance, knows those losses have battle-tested and refined her crew.

“When we play better teams, we play better volleyball,” she said. “We’re a trained, fast-pace offense, and actually when that comes back at us, we rise to the occasion.”

“We’ve gotten looks at Meeker and Strasburg so far (this season), and there have been significant points of both of those matches where we had a good look at them,” she continued.

“We can compete with those teams.”