LITTLETON — The details of Columbine’s five-game victory Wednesday over Cheyenne Mountain may be a little fuzzy to Megan Koop.
The Rebels senior hit her head on the floor diving for an errant ball early in the fifth game and said she isn’t really sure of much afterward.
For her sake, Koop returned, notched three kills and served on the game-winning point as the Rebels rallied to drop the Indians 25-17, 16-25, 23-25, 25-18, 15-12.
“I knew I had to get back in there,” Koop said. “We had to get it done.”
Koop’s reemergence was just one of a handful of subplots in a nonleague match brimming with talent and a state tournament atmosphere. The Rebels (3-0), Class 5A state semifinalists last season, were slightly better in their outside attack and passing than the Indians (7-1), who lost in the 4A state final in 2007.
Behind the steady service of Alicia Dotson (45 assists) and a vocal home crowd, the Rebels attacked with power and purpose behind Randee Hayes (21 kills), Ellen Miks (14), Koop (14) and Aimee Thomas (five).
“I think the crowd helped us,” Hayes said. “We wanted to put on a show for the crowd.”
Cheyenne Mountain coach David Barkley couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps the home floor was all that separated the teams. That, and some inopportune errors.
“We didn’t pass well,” Barkley said. “Columbine is so good, you don’t pass well and give them a ball to play with, you’ll eat it. They’re just that good.”
The Indians hummed to the tune of senior setter Ellyn Barkley, who tossed up 40 assists to a deep attack. Laura Brodie and Natasha Ray each had 10 kills for the Indians, and senior middle Holly Hutchinson had nine, freshman Janae Vander Ploeg had seven and Kendall Gaffney and Vivian Snider had six apiece.
Ray, who also had several assists and blocks, said the Indians took comfort knowing few — if any — teams in 4A can match Columbine’s attack.
“If we can hang with the big dogs in 5A, we can do it,” Ray said.
After the teams split the first two games, the Indians appeared to capture the momentum by rallying 17-10 deficit to win the third game 25-23.
But the Rebels were steely and poised in winning the fourth game to set up the decisive fifth.
The Indians led early, but the Rebels pulled ahead for good at 10-9 on Miks’ booming kill.
