Lady Pirates dealing with loss of starters

By Santiago Ramos
Staff Sports Writer

GRANTS — If life was not hard enough for the struggling Grants volleyball team by having to compete in the tough District 5-4A, things may have gotten much bleaker.

With the start of the volleyball season less than a week away, Grants head coach Audrey Dominguez must deal with the unexpected loss of two junior returning starters.

First, 5-foot-7 Desiree Baca is lost for the entire volleyball season and more after tearing her ACL in her left knee while participating in a basketball camp this summer. Baca, a talented three-sport athlete, will miss playing volleyball and basketball and most of the tennis season as well.

If that was not bad enough for Grants, Dominguez also lost 6-foot-2 hitter Jordan Unverzagt, who transferred to district rival St. Pius. In addition to missing her in volleyball, Unverzagt was a key returnee for the girls basketball team.

"Those are two big losses," said Dominguez, who starts her 13th year as head coach.

But life goes on for Dominguez and Grants volleyball.

At the moment, Dominguez admitted that she had a total of 28 girls turn out for volleyball for all three teams.

"We lost some to cross country and soccer," she said. "But we're working hard."

Dominguez has eight girls on the varsity team at the moment.

With Baca and Unverzagt gone, Grants' lone returning starter was 5-foot-7 senior outside hitter Dhaniell Lovesee.

Lovesee will be joined by 5-foot-2 senior setter Sammi Sarracino, 5-foot-9 senior middle hitter Mabel Miramontes, 5-foot-10 junior middle hitter Alyssha Garcia, 5-foot-6 sophomore right side hitter Lindsey Valdez, 5-foot-2 senior setter Airal Aranda, 5-foot-4 junior back row Ashley Valencia and 5-foot-4 junior front row setter Ciara Jones.

Despite the low numbers, Dominguez is enthusiastic about her girls.

"These girls have a lot of heart," she said. "They give 100 percent in practice."

After not winning a single district match last season, things look gloomy especially after losing two starters for the entire season.

"It's a tough district," Dominguez said. "St. Pius lost two player and so did Academy. Nobody lost much. We don't have the numbers but we're going to give 100 percent."

Dominguez has three new assistant coaches with varsity assistant Jaque Jones, JV coach Charlotte Morlang and former Grants High standout Alissa Horacek, who will be coaching the C team.

Grants will be scrimmaging Laguna Acoma today before competing at the Belen Invitational next weekend. The Lady Pirates will then host Tohatchi Tuesday, Sept. 11 in their brand new gym for their season home opener.