Top-seed MV Mustangs to host 3A North Region tourney

Posted by Quentin Jodie | Oct 31, 2024 | Sports |

WINDOW ROCK – Not counting any tournament games, the Monument Valley Mustangs are riding a 12-game winning streak into this week’s 3A North Region volleyball tournament.

The region tournament gets underway on Friday with MV hosting the two-day tourney.

The Mustangs ran the tables in region play with a 10-0 record and earned the tournament’s top seed. MV swept six of those games while four of those matches were extended to four sets.

At 5-5, Window Rock is seeded second, followed by Ganado, Chinle, and Tuba City, as the latter three teams finishing with identical 4-6 region records.

Based on the latest Arizona Interscholastic Association’s power rankings, Ganado received the No. 3 seed ahead of fourth seed Chinle and fifth seed Tuba City.

Page, which finished at 3-7, earned the sixth seed in the six-team tournament.

“Every team wants to beat us, so we got to make sure we’re prepared,” longtime Monument Valley volleyball coach Rennell Gilmore said. “It’s good that we have the region tournament because we get to play a few more games before the state tournament. It’s nice to get more playing time in because some of the other regions don’t have a regional tournament like we do, so I see it very beneficial for us.”

In the top half of the bracket, No. 5 Tuba City squares off with No. 4 Chinle at 6 p.m. on Friday night with the winner advancing to play top-seeded Monument Valley at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

“Both teams played really well against us during the regular season,” Gilmore said of TC and Chinle. “I can predict them doing the same in giving us a tough match. They played well and we just got to make sure we play our game as well.”

The bottom half has No. 3 Ganado and No. 6 Page playing at 7 p.m. on Friday with the survivor playing second seed Window Rock at 12 p.m. The championship game is slated for 2 p.m.