The Madras High School volleyball team opened its 2026 season with a statement: a 25-22, 25-20, 25-20 sweep of rival Culver on Wednesday, September 3, played in Culver's gym before a raucous crowd of supporters from both schools.
The match had been circled on the calendar since last season — Culver had beaten the Buffalos in their 2025 matchup, and Wednesday was the rematch.
Set-by-Set Breakdown
The first set was a tight, back-and-forth affair. Culver held the lead for much of it, but Madras closed it out 25-22 on a strong serving run from Anna Turo.
Set two saw Madras take an early lead before Culver pushed back to go ahead 13-11. A three-serve run from Marlee Simmelink gave the Buffalos a 19-15 cushion. Culver clawed back to within one at 20-21, but Janelle Pineda sealed the set with the final four points, 25-20.
The third set followed a similar script — Culver jumped ahead early, but several kills from Simmelink and senior Ana Boyle turned the tide. A three-point run by Culver's Hadee Keegan briefly gave the Bulldogs the lead at 15-13, but Madras held firm and closed it out 25-20.
Boyle Sets the Tone
"It's nice to start out the season with a win with my team," Boyle said after the match. "Culver is always a good team and there are a lot of great girls that I've grown up with on the team. I hope we can use the momentum from this win to take us into league, because we have big goals this year."
A Season to Watch
The Madras program returns several capable contributors, and the sweep of Culver — a perennial county rival — signals the Buffalos mean business heading into league play. Both schools drew vocal, energetic crowds, with mascots, cheering sections, and plenty of back-and-forth banter keeping the atmosphere lively throughout.
Jefferson County fans looking for local sports action this fall should keep an eye on the Buffalos' schedule as league competition begins.