Cleveland Extends Winning Streak Over Rio Rancho
The Storm swept the Rams 3-0 on Thursday, marking their 18th consecutive victory in the rivalry.
By Andrew Kovalenko ·
Cleveland High School volleyball concluded its regular season with a decisive victory against its crosstown rival Rio Rancho on Thursday. The Storm won the match in three straight sets, ending the Rams' season with another loss to their longtime competitor.
The final score was 25-16, 25-15, and 25-16 in favor of Cleveland. This result secures the district championship for the Storm and extends their winning streak to eighteen games against Rio Rancho. The last time the Rams defeated Cleveland was on September 25, 2021.
Cleveland enters the postseason with a 19-4 record, including an 8-0 mark in district play. This is the third consecutive season the Storm have finished the district undefeated. The team also carries an eight-game winning streak into the playoffs.
Rio Rancho finishes the season with a 10-13 record, including a 3-5 mark in district play. The loss represents the Rams' third straight defeat, tying their season high for consecutive losses. Their last set win against Cleveland came on September 10, when they took the opening set of that matchup.
The gymnasium at Cleveland High School was filled with supporters from both schools for the contest. The Storm honored their two seniors, Molly Maurer and Gabrielle Savage, before the match began. The team played with the same efficiency that has characterized their season.
Cleveland led 18-14 in the first set after a timeout called by Rio Rancho. The Storm won seven of the next nine points to close out the set. The second set followed a similar pattern, with Cleveland maintaining a lead before pulling away to win by ten points.
The third set was the least competitive of the three. Rio Rancho scored 16 points, but most of them came late in the set. Cleveland held a lead for the majority of the rally and never trailed in any of the three sets.
Both teams will await the NMAA seeding and selection show scheduled for approximately 2 p.m. Sunday. The official bracket will be released at nmact.org at that time.
