The Summit High School girls volleyball team is off to its best start in seven years. After making the Class 4A regional volleyball tournament at the end of last season, the Tigers have begun where they left off last season.

The team began its season with a 3-0 sweep over Clear Creek High School on Aug. 23 and proceeded to host Resurrection Christian High School on Saturday, Aug. 26.

After falling to the Resurrection Christian, 3-0, in Loveland last season, the Tigers were eager to enact their revenge on the Cougars in the thin air of Summit County.

The team wasted no time getting out to a quick lead. The Tigers won the first set 25-17 before rolling to a 25-18 win in set two. In a do-or-die third set, Resurrection Christian managed a 25-14 win, but it was not enough to secure a comeback.

Instead, the Tigers came back and battled over the fourth set, winning it 28-26, and taking the match victory, three sets to one.

“We had a slightly rough third set, but did not hang onto those mistakes and turned it around,” Summit head coach Cynthia Durloo said. “Our bench stayed involved and fully supported those on the court.”

The Tigers were led by senior Chloe Nicholds with 15 assists, 13 digs and two aces. Senior Sierra Durloo followed with 13 assists and six kills. Senior Hannah Crowe recorded 10 kills and eight blocks, and senior Karlyn Frazier had eight kills, six blocks and three aces.

The huge home win over Resurrection Christian ultimately helped give Summit High the momentum it needed to defeat West Grand High School on the road on Tuesday, Aug. 29. In the non-league match, the Tigers won three sets in a row to advance to 3-0 on the season. The team won the first two sets 25-19 and the final set 26-24.

Similar to the win against Resurrection Christian, the Tigers were led by the team’s strong core of seniors. Crowe and Frazier led the team in kills with 11 each and Durloo and Nicholds recorded four and two aces, respectively.

The Tigers will now prepare for their first tournament of the season — the Chaparral Showcase Tournament in Lakewood — from Sept. 1-2. Summit High is scheduled to take on Green Mountain High School on Friday, Sept. 1, in its first match before hopefully advancing further into the tournament.

Summit will face Green Mountain at 9 a.m. on Friday, with the tournament taking place at the Gold Crown Foundation sports complex.