Cavegirls Defeat the Cats for First 2025 Win

By Don Eskins

The Cavegirl volleyball team, off to a 0-3 start in 2025, picked up its first win of the season on Tuesday night, September 2, against the Lovington Wildcats. CHS, on the road, defeated Lovington 3-0.

The Cavegirls, with only two seniors and one junior on their squad, are very young this season. But despite their youth, they’ve been competitive all year.

Needless to say, Tuesday’s win was a very welcome one for head coach Taylor Hardison and her lady spikers.

“I’m really glad we finally got a W. Our kids have worked so hard and come so close to winning in our 0-3 start. But our victory over Lovington was about more than just winning. It was about our girls finding their confidence. They went into the match, not hoping to win, but expecting to. To them, nothing less than a win was going to be acceptable, and they got it done.”

The Cavegirls dominated the Wildcats, winning the match 25-17, 25-16, 25-18.

Hardison said the leadership she’s gotten from seniors Jazzmariyah Sandoval and Scarlett Haley has played a key role in helping to keep the team focused and playing hard.

“Jazzmariyah is always focused and moving forward; she’s a force. Super quick and strong, she’s one of the best middles I’ve ever seen,” said Hardison. “When on, other players feed off of her play. She energizes everybody.

“Scarlet, much more quiet on the floor, leads by example,” said the Cavegirl coach. “She sets blocks and attacks the ball. We’re definitely a better team because of the skills she brings to the floor.”

While Hardison was complimentary of all the Cavegirls’ play in their victory over Lovington, she did take time to mention the effort put out by freshman Abigail Chavez.

“Abbie was a highlight for us in our match with the Wildcats,” she said. “She played very aggressively and served for the majority of our points. A hard worker on the floor, she’s been a big part of the success we’ve enjoyed this year.”

Moriarty Tourney on Deck

On Friday and Saturday, September 5-6, the Cavegirls will be in Moriarty to compete in the Moriarty Invitational. MaxPreps shows them opening up tourney play against West Las Vegas at 9 a.m. on Friday,

“We’re looking forward to competing in the tournament. Coming in off our win in Lovington, our kids’ confidence level is really high, “ said Hardison. “But we have no specific concerns to address there. We just want our kids to compete, be aggressive, and have fun. It’s all part of the process.”