The Delta Panthers will head out on the road to face off against the Steamboat Springs Sailors at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Delta took a three-set defeat the last time they faced off against Eagle Valley, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Panthers had just enough and edged out the Devils 3-2 on Thursday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Panthers have posted since November 1, 2024.
Delta wouldn't go down easily and took Eagle Valley into a fifth set where they got it done with a two-point win. Once all was said and done, the final score wound up at 19-25, 25-21, 25-20, 21-25, 16-14.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Steamboat Springs, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Tuesday. Everything went their way against Summit on Tuesday as they made off with a 3-0 victory. The win continues a trend for the Sailors in their matchups with the Tigers: they've now won four in a row.
While Steamboat Springs won a shutout, things came down to the wire in the third set they played. The final score came out to 25-20, 25-15, 28-26.
Delta better focus on containing Macee Wettlaufer and Sammy Coleman as the pair were huge in Steamboat Springs' win. Wettlaufer had 17 digs and four assists, while Coleman had eight digs. Wettlaufer has been hot, having posted ten or more digs the last seven times she's played.
Delta picked up their first home victory, bumping their record up to 2-12. As for Steamboat Springs, their record is now 10-6.
Here's a few offensive stats to keep an eye on ahead of Saturday's match: Delta has really dialed in their serving this season, having averaged 5.1 aces per game. However, it's not like Steamboat Springs struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.1 aces. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more volleyball content.
