Battle Mountain Huskies Defeat Glenwood Springs to Secure Playoff Host

Glenwood Springs —Lucia Daniel stood in the Huskies huddle during a late timeout Tuesday night, chewing her gum and nodding silently while the team trailed 24-23 in the third set. She didn’t say a word to her coaches or teammates. Then she served. Three straight points later, Battle Mountain volleyball had beaten Glenwood Springs 3-0.

The Vail Daily reported on the match, highlighting how Daniel’s calm demeanor contrasted with the chaos of a high-stakes regional rivalry game. The Huskies, who lead the Western Slope in their division, defeated the second-ranked Demons 25-20, 25-12 and 26-24. It wasn’t a blowout. Battle Mountain trailed in all three sets, including a 13-9 deficit in the first. But they clawed back from 7-2 and 20-13 in the final set, refusing to blink.

Coach Scott Graves noted that the team is finally playing with the intensity required for postseason play. “We want them to be the team that we need to be in playoffs,” Graves said. “And now I’m starting to see that they want it.”

For context, this win keeps Battle Mountain undefeated in league play. They now control their own destiny with two matches remaining to claim the 4A Western Slope title. Currently ranked 12th in the state, the Huskies are positioning themselves to host a playoff match in Edwards. That hosting spot matters. It means local fans don’t have to drive an hour up the valley or down into the Eagle Valley on a cold Tuesday night to watch their kids compete. It means the community gets to rally behind them in Edwards, not just on a livestream.

The win wasn’t just about Daniel’s serve. Lela Goehring and Eve Steinberg kept balls alive against Glenwood Springs’ powerful offense, while Ruth Casey and Mae McNallie formed a wall at the net. Casey, Goehring, and Joanna Kent sent balls to the floor with force. In the first set, Goehring and Steinberg swung the score by six points on consecutive serves. Kent followed with a four-serve streak to close it out. The second set ended on a hustle play: McNallie saved a point, Kent got it back in bounds, and Steinberg bumped it over for the winning point.

There was also a quiet milestone on Tuesday night. Setter Sky Gwin, who took over the position her junior year after putting up 759 assists last season, reached 1,000 high school career assists and 100 aces. Her teammates celebrated briefly before getting back to work. Gwin called it a “one-point-at-a-time mentality” and said the team had the grit to finish.

Kent, who has played alongside Gwin since her transition to setter, praised the new setter’s ability. “It’s awesome. She knows how to set so well,” Kent said.

Graves pointed out that Gwin’s 1,000 assists came in her first full season as a primary setter. Last year was her learning curve; this year is her payoff.

The practical impact for folks in Edwards and the surrounding area is straightforward. If Battle Mountain wins its next two matches, they secure the 4A Western Slope title and a home playoff game. That means more traffic on local roads, more full gymnasiums, and a tangible boost to the school’s athletic profile. It also means the Huskies have proven they can win ugly, which is exactly what you need when the scoreboard isn’t in your favor and the crowd is against you.

Battle Mountain didn’t just beat Glenwood Springs. They showed they can win when the margin for error is zero. That’s a different kind of victory than a 25-10 rout, and it’s the one that matters when the stakes get real.