Cavegirls Impressive in 0-3 Start

By Don Eskins

Learning how to win doesn't just happen overnight…well, for most anyway. Learning to win, as a rule, comes in small steps.

This year, the Cavegirl volleyball team, heavily invested in the future with a young cast of athletes, is doing just that, learning in small steps. But could they be ahead of schedule?

Currently, following a 0-3 loss to Centennial, a 2-3 loss to Mayfield, and a 1-3 loss to Artesia, the Carlsbad girls sit at 0-3 on the year.

But, if you look deeper than just the final score, the Cavegirls, in only the second year of head coach Taylor Hardison's program, competed in all three of them. They didn't go down easily; they went down swinging.

The Cavegirls lost to Centennial 25-21, 25-12, and 28-26. The Mayfield Trojans, 25-20, 21-25, 25-22, 21-25, and 15-3. The Artesia Bulldogs 22-25, 28-26, 25-6, and 25-16.

So far, even at 0-3, the Cavegirls have been impressive.

"I'm so proud of the growth this team has shown. We're now competing with teams we haven't traditionally matched up with, and that speaks volumes about the hard work and progress we've made," said assistant coach Rylan Gonzalez.

"At the same time, we know we're not where we want to be yet, and that drive to keep pushing themselves is what makes this group so special," she continued.

"I genuinely love working with this group of girls," she said. "Their energy, commitment, and support for each other make every day worth it."

The Cavegirls will be in action once again on Tuesday, September 2, in Lovington. The JVs play at 5 p.m., followed by the varsity at 6 p.m.