Navajo Times
Tuesday, July 14, 2026

Select Page

Joseph City Invitational

Joseph City Invitational

Lady Cardinals make statement with first place showing

Navajo Times | File St. Michael sophomore Paige Laughing passes the ball in a recent game. The Lady Cardinals won the Joseph City Invitational with a two-set win over Eager Round Valley.

Navajo Times | File
St. Michael sophomore Paige Laughing passes the ball in a recent game. The Lady Cardinals won the Joseph City Invitational with a two-set win over Eager Round Valley.

JOSEPH CITY, Ariz.

With an undefeated record heading into the Joseph City Invitational, the St. Michael volleyball team didn’t need to make a statement.

They did anyway as the Cardinals closed out the 18-team tournament with a 25-24, 25-8 win over the Eager Round Valley Elks in the championship game.

“They played very well this weekend and I am so proud of them,” St. Michael coach Andrea Ashkie said of her team. “They really deserved this.”

[wbcr_snippet id=”38760″]

Earlier in the tournament, the Cardinals lost to Round Valley (25-22, 25-24) in the semifinals but after they defeated Mogollon in three sets (23-25, 25-18, 15-5) to setup the rematch with Round Valley they were all about business.

“These girls know how to play and when they turn it on they can turn it on,” Ashkie said when asked about their frame of mind, especially in that last set.

“I think what really helped was we definitely had better passing with our serve-receive,” she added. “It really showed and that is what pulled us ahead.”

[wbcr_snippet id=”38767″]

About The Author

Quentin Jodie

Quentin Jodie is the Sports Editor for the Navajo Times. He started working for the Navajo Times in February 2010 and was promoted to the Sports Editor position at the end of summer in 2012. Previously, he wrote for the Gallup Independent. Reach him at qjodie@navajotimes.com

ADVERTISEMENT

[wbcr_snippet id=”38883″]

Weather & Road Conditions

[wbcr_snippet id=”38777″]

ADVERTISEMENT