Energetic Mustangs roll past Palo Verde

After facing some tough competition in this past weekend’s Durango Fall Classic — including three losses against out-of-state teams — Shadow Ridge girls volleyball coach Karissa Guthrie emphasized one thing during Monday’s practice.

Energy.

And Tuesday night against Sunset League rival Palo Verde, the Mustangs delivered plenty of it in a spirited 25-18, 25-17, 25-18 home victory.

“Coach has talked to us a lot about not playing down to other teams’ level, but to always keep our foot on the gas pedal, to not ever let down,” said Alysha Smith, who had 21 assists. “I think when everyone is up, the energy is up, we just play better.”

The Mustangs appeared energized the entire match, communicating well, getting everyone on the court involved, and electrifying a packed house.

Kizzy Rodriguez finished with 10 kills, 10 digs and three aces for the Mustangs (14-5, 3-0 Sunset League), and Arizona-bound Whittnee Nihipali had 11 kills and eight digs. Madison Norr delivered nine kills for Shadow Ridge.

“In practice this week we focused a lot on energy and connections on the court,” Norr said. “Our bench also had a lot of energy, which contributed to our playing tonight. Coach likes to tell us we should be playing at our levels, not other people’s, and that we need to play our own game.”

Madyson Lousignont, who is committed to Limestone College (S.C.), also made her presence felt, including the third set when she got the Mustangs going with an ace, a diving dig and four consecutive service points to push Shadow Ridge to an early 11-5 lead.

“That’s one thing that we’ve really been working on since the beginning of the season, is just kind of having an attack from all areas of the court and everybody involved,” Guthrie said. “We’ve been really stressing to our setters to get everybody involved.”

But short-handed Palo Verde (10-9, 2-1) didn’t give in that easy. The Panthers, who were missing injured sophomore Arien Fafard, got stellar play from dinged-up Jacquelyn Fields, who also performed well despite nursing a sore ankle.

Trailing 18-11, the Panthers clawed their way back within two points, after Fields stuffed Nihipali, and Elizabeth Gutierrez followed with a huge block of Lousignont.

The Mustangs proved to be too much in the end, as Nihipali delivered a pair of statement kills, and Norr added an exclamation with two more kills down the stretch to seal the win.

“I certainly talk and emphasize about closing it out, regardless of who we’re playing,” Guthrie said. “We need to be a machine all the way through to 25 points all three sets.”