When it comes to season openers, the Cottonwood Colts girls volleyball team might have ‘em beat. 

Dating back to 2022, the Colts have a 2-0 record the first time they’ve taken the court at Cottonwood’s gymnasium over the past two seasons. 

It’s just the other 34 games that have been a bit of a challenge for Cottonwood and head coach Michaela Hatch. But, she thinks times might be changing at the school. 

“We've got a really solid set of athletes in the gym for Cottonwood girls volleyball this season,” said Hatch, who held open tryouts on Aug. 5-6.

Ten days later, Cottonwood [1-0] was already picking up a season-opening, eye-opening three sets-to-zero shutout victory over Bear River Aug. 16. 

It was also the Colts’ home opener, as senior captains Abby Salisbury and Macenna Rolan led Cottonwood to a 25-21, 25-17, 25-23 win. 

“The team showed up with a lot of passion, unity and focus tonight,” said Hatch, who picked up her fifth victory in her third season on Thursday night inside a gym that she noted has had its floor newly renovated. 

Rolan meant business on the opening serve of Cottonwood’s win Thursday on that brand-new surface. The senior captain fired an ace to set the tone for a Colts squad that returns six players from last year’s four-win team, according to Hatch. 

The all-business tone continued through the leadership of the co-captain Salisbury, who not only contributed to the Colts offense with eight kills in the season-opening victory—she got involved on defense, adding four blocks. 

Including the senior captains, the Colts also welcomed back upperclassman and junior Hallie Jensen to the team. As a sophomore, the 5-foot-11-inch outside hitter had 11 kills and 15 assists for Cottonwood. 

The Colts are also bringing back junior Eimi Vatuvei. A two-sport star, Vatuvei often found herself at or near the top of the scoresheet last season as a sophomore. 

In other news, a sophomore has been named as a team co-captain for the Colts. Libero Anna Cumming got the nod, according to Hatch. In several matches last season, Cumming, then a freshman, led Cottonwood in digs. 

The sixth and final player back for the Colts is sophomore Ellie White. As a freshman, she was also instrumental in the Colts’ efforts to turn the program around. Whether it was by her kills, her blocks, or even her digs, White came up big in big moments. 

As for those Aug. 5-6 tryouts mentioned at the outset of this article inside of Cottonwood’s refurbished gym, those bore some fruit as well according to Hatch who is now in her third year as Cottonwood’s head coach. 

First up? Senior McKenzie Joseph. A transfer from East, she had 12 digs for the Leopards as a junior. 

Junior Brynley Anderson will climb aboard the Colts’ stampede as well, and so will freshmen Grace Carpenter and Olivia Nguyen, added Hatch. 

“I'm really looking forward to seeing how they work together to unlock their potential this season,” Hatch said. 

The preseason game against Bear River was the first of seven the Colts have currently scheduled. 

By the time you read this, Cottonwood will have played at West [Aug. 20] and will have hosted the likes of Granger [Aug. 22], South Summit [Aug. 27] and Highland [Aug. 29]. 

The Colts will then enjoy the Labor Day holiday before hosting Summit Academy on Sept. 4. After that, it’s a short bus ride over to Kearns the next day, on Sept. 5. 

Then, it’ll be Region 10 action, fast and furious, twice every week from Sept. 10 to Oct. 22. 

After that, the Colts will hope they’ve unlocked that potential and played beyond their wildest expectations to receive a top 24 seed to the 4A state tournament, a place Cottonwood girls volleyball hasn’t been since the 2020-21 season. λ