‘Smartest team in the state’: Undefeated Patriots roll past Shiprock

By Michael Peretti
Special to the Times

GALLUP

It took a while for the short-handed Shiprock Lady Chieftains to get comfortable.

By then, the district-leading Miyamura Lady Patriots were on a roll to the win.

Shiprock kept things close in the second and third sets, but still could not pull out a win Thursday night, as Miyamura remained undefeated in district play, coming away with the win, 25-9, 25-16 and 25-19 at Miyamura High School.

“We started the season in a slump, but we have changed a few things,” Miyamura head coach Sarah Mortensen said. “The girls have been working hard, and it is good to see them not giving up on themselves.”

Mortensen said that she did not want to jinx her team, but that she was pleased with how they did after the first half of the district season.

“We have seen all of the teams now, and I like where we are,” she said. “But we are going to go back into the gym tomorrow and practice like we lost.”

The win moved the Lady Patriots back above .500 on the season at 7-6. More important, they improved to 5-0 in district play.

The loss ended a two-set win streak, with Shiprock defeating Gallup in three and Aztec in four.

Shiprock head coach Andrea Simms said it took a little while for her team to get used to playing in a different rotation, with two starters out after missing practice earlier in the week.

“So we were out of our usual rotation,” she said. “You could tell we were a little off, and confused.”

Still, she said the Lady Chieftains never gave up and continued to work hard.

“My girls are very verbal with me,” she said. “And we are still working on a few things.”

After coasting to the win in the first set, 25-9, Miyamura had a tougher time in the second and third sets.

Malia Ukestine put Miyamura ahead with an ace and three service points for a 6-3 lead, and then Darian Yazzie served three more to push the lead to 13-6.

After an ace from Grace Giron and a kill by Madison Hyatt, Miyamura was on top, 17-9.

Shiprock put together a brief rally, with Evette Lansing serving three points, but a service error ended the run, and Annemarie Peters served an ace and two points, followed by Ukestine with two more points and a 23-14 lead.

Darian Yazzie served an ace to put the game away and put Miyamura on top, 2-0.

Kimberly Thompson served Miyamura to a 3-0 lead in the third set, and Giron followed with three more points for a 7-1 advantage.

Peters served two points with one ace to make it 12-4, and Ukestine added one ace for a 14-5 lead.

Down 17-8, Shiprock kept the third set close, getting the serve on a Miyamura hitting error, and Lisa Begay then came up and served three points to cut the lead to 17-12.

Mariah Livingston ended the streak with a kill for Miyamura, and Giron served one point, putting the Lady Patriots ahead 19-12.

Tomeika Peshlakai and Sanaa Keeswood each served a point for Shiprock, but they would not be able to get the game back within five, as the Lady Patriots pulled away for the win.

Mortensen said that the Lady Patriots made good decisions in the game, adding that her team’s mental game is just as good as its physical, if not better.

“I can say that I do believe I have the smartest team in the state,” she said. “The team as a whole has close to 4.0 G.P.A. We are smart on the court, and we are smart in the classroom. We work hard on the court, and work hard in the classroom.”

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