Cougars split volleyball tournament after dominant win against Fossil Ridge

The Niwot High School boys volleyball team showcased both its potential as well as growing pains this week, beginning with a commanding victory before facing mixed results in tournament play.

The Cougars delivered a decisive 3-0 victory against the Fossil Ridge High School Sabercats on Thursday, March 27. The Cougars dominated from the opening serve, particularly in the first set, finishing with set scores of 25-12, 25-16, 25-20.

Junior Diego Kheng led Niwot's offensive charge with 12 kills, while Jasper Helgans orchestrated the attack with 28 assists. Helgans also demonstrated his versatility by leading the team in service aces.

The win improved Niwot's record to 2-1, while ending Fossil Ridge's six-game winning streak, dropping the Sabercats to 6-3.

Following their impressive showing against Fossil Ridge, the Cougars faced tougher competition in tournament play on Saturday, March 29.

Niwot encountered its first setback against undefeated Littleton Public Schools, falling in straight sets 25-19, 25-19. The loss evened their season record at 2-2 while Littleton maintained its perfect 11-0 record.

The Cougars bounced back in their second tournament match, defeating the Thunder Ridge High School Grizzlies 2-0. After a nail-biting first set that Niwot claimed 26-24, the Cougars dominated the second set with an overwhelming 25-8 victory.

In the final tournament match, Niwot battled Mountain Vista High School in a three-set thriller. Despite taking the opening set 26-24, the Cougars couldn't maintain momentum, ultimately falling 24-26, 25-12, 15-10.

Through six matches, Niwot has compiled impressive team statistics. The Cougars' attack features 116 kills (10.5 per set) with a 40.4 kill percentage across 287 attack attempts, resulting in a .157 hitting percentage.

From the service line, Niwot has recorded 27 aces (2.5 per set) with a strong 88.5 service percentage. Defensively, the team has tallied 2 solo blocks, 18 assisted blocks, and 103 digs (9.4 per set).

Senior Jenu Ngialah leads the team with 3.3 kills per set, followed by senior Cooper Chudleigh (2.5 K/S) and junior Kheng (2.2 K/S).

With their record now standing at 3-3, the Cougars will host Centaurus High School at home on Tuesday, April 1 at 6:30 p.m., before traveling to face Cheyenne Mountain High School on Saturday, April 5 at 12:30 p.m.