Pinon netters grab spotlight at MV tournament
Navajo Times | Donovan Quintero Pinon Lady Eagle Brittany Begay (15) hits the ball between Snowflake teammates Elle Flake (8) and Shelby Reidhead (7) Saturday in Kayenta in the third place match.
KAYENTA
An unexpected run through the Kayenta Township MV Mustang Volleyball Tournament has the Pinon Lady Eagles on everyone’s radar.
The Eagles made the short drive to Kayenta to take part in the two-day tournament with nothing to lose against some of the state’s best. After it was all said and done they came away with plenty to look forward to.
In pool play, Pinon finished with a 7-3 record as they lost two matches to Snowflake and earned a split with host MV.
During the bracket portion of the tournament, Pinon swept perennial powerhouse Tuba City in two sets before they battled Monument Valley in a three-set thriller as the defending Arizona Division III state champs dodged an upset.
“We really needed to be challenged like this,” Pinon coach Nellie McCurtain said after losing to the Mustangs 26-24, 22-25, 15-9.
McCurtain said going into the tournament her squad compiled a 6-0 record against lesser opponents so playing in the MV tournament was the only chance they could play with teams of this caliber, which included state powers Snowflake and Phoenix Greenway.
“We liked the competition and this is what it’s going to be like at state,” she said, while adding that she likes their chances in Division V.
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Highway 264,
I-40, WB @ Winslow