Challenging themselves

MONUMENT - Lewis-Palmer players feel they haven’t lived up to their No. 1 Pikes Peak ranking in recent matches.

That changed on Tuesday when the Rangers swept No. 3 Pine Creek 25-21, 25-23, 25-14 at Lewis-Palmer’s gym.

“We know we can play better than we have been, that we can do about anything this year,” said Lewis-Palmer senior Jenny Kagarise, who expects to play for the Air Force Academy next season. “We just want to play to our potential and as a team.”

Lewis-Palmer (14-1, 6-0 5A Metro) solidified its hold on first place in the league while Pine Creek (11-4, 4-2) is finding it difficult to repeat as conference champion.

“We didn’t play our best, but they were good,” said Pine Creek senior captain Cindy Bathelt, who will sign with Florida next month. “I give them a lot of credit. Their middles kept jumping over us.”

Ariana Filho, the Rangers’ dominant 6-foot-3 senior, led all players with 13 kills, one more than Pine Creek senior Anne Fredell. Lewis-Palmer senior Sarah Marietta had seven kills, Kagarise five and sophomore Christi Limpert four. Pine Creek freshman Lindsay Weaver had six kills.

“We definitely got our rhythm back tonight,” Marietta said. “That’s how we want to play.”

The athletic 5-foot-11 Marietta studied ballet for a decade before turning her attention full-time to volleyball.

“Sarah’s the most flexible player I’ve ever seen in my life,” Kagarise said. “She’s amazing.”

With Filho, Kagarise, Limpert and 6-2 senior Olivia Moss, Marietta gives the Rangers a potentially dominant front line.

Filho, who will sign with Minnesota, also led with eight blocks. Lewis-Palmer senior Natalie Laband, who will sign with North Texas State, had 31 assists and 10 digs.

Kagarise had 13 digs while junior Shelbi Pitcher had 10 and senior Kelly Drexler nine.

“We played with authority and confidence,” said Lewis-Palmer coach Susan Odenbaugh. “Pine Creek is a rival and always a contender for conference.

“It was nice to be able to win 3-0. I credit our back row and defense. Our passing set up our offense, and Ariana made some great kills.”

Bathelt — a good setter, as is Laband — made 22 assists. Weaver and senior Jordan Harline had six blocks each for Pine Creek. Junior Kelsi Klikus had four kills and five digs for the Eagles.

Lewis-Palmer came into the match motivated to do well.

“We were raising money for breast cancer awareness and we played well, so this night was as good as we hoped for,” Kagarise said. “We can play better, but this was definitely one of our better performances.”

CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0250 or bob.stephens@gazette.com