Prep Volleyball: Palo Verde sets down Western

Entering the 1999 season, very little was known or expected of the Palo Verde High boys volleyball team.

Most locals who follow prep sports closely figured the Panthers, competing in their first year of varsity competition, would take a beating in the competitive Sunset Division.

But one-third of the way through the season, it's their opponents, not the young Panthers, who have been repeatedly taken to the woodshed.

This trend continued Wednesday night, as Palo Verde upset Western on the road 10-15, 15-3, 15-13 to improve to 6-3 overall and an astonishing 5-1 in division play.

"We're major underdogs, and everyone said we wouldn't be any good," said Mike Orton, who led the Panthers with six kills. "But we're out to prove we're just as good as anyone else."

"We worked on three-up (having three men block) all week," added Palo Verde coach Lance Cooper, whose team is now in sole possession of second place in the Sunset Division.

Western slipped to 5-4 overall, 4-2 in Sunset play.

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