A disappointing 3-0 loss to Cheyenne Mountain in Rampart’s first volleyball game of the season created a shift in the team. 

The very next game, the Rams reverse-swept Lewis-Palmer, and have not lost a game since. 

“You need to know how to lose in order to win,” coach Brianne Perkett said. “It’s been an upward progression of focusing on who we are and how we get better, so we are the best team when state comes around. We are going to see tough matches, and if we lose, we have to know it’s OK as long as we are playing our best.”

Rampart (10-1) has only lost 10 sets in 11 games this season and has its best start since 2020 when it finished 13-1. 

The Rams have not lost in September, with their only loss of the year being their season opener against Cheyenne Mountain on Aug. 29.

While talent is certainly a factor, the team’s chemistry, particularly from the senior class, is what has elevated Rampart to a 10-1 start after finishing 15-10 last season. 

“In past years, the one thing that was missing was people trusting each other and having good energy towards each other,” said senior Mackenzie Woolfolk, one of five seniors on varsity. “That’s a lot better this year, and we’ve worked on it throughout the season. That has helped us win games.”

However, it is also important for the team to get the underclassman involved. 

“We are just trying to continue to build rather than having a great year and rebuild, repeat,” Perkett said. “We are trying to have a good year every year.”

A lock-in at the start of the season set the foundation for the team, and ever since, the chemistry has developed not just through practice but also in bonding activities outside of volleyball. 

“I firmly believe whatever chemistry you have on the court is built off the court first,” Perkett said. “We are focusing on being one force working toward one goal. We’ve had issues of not communicating and building energy together but we’ve been working on being one unit on the floor rather than individuals.”

Since Perkett took over as coach in 2021, the team has been working toward this season. With girls who have played together for four years, that off-court chemistry is finally coming into play. 

“It’s a sisterhood,” senior Marcela Chiriboga said. “We are all close, support each other, and hold each other accountable. We try to be very positive and make it a fun environment that everyone wants to come to everybody and work hard for.”

Rampart has had several five-set thrillers this season, including a 3-2 win over Pine Creek to end the Eagles’ four-match win streak and a four-game losing streak to Pine Creek dating back to October 2022. 

While it was a big rivalry win, the Rams are not focusing on who is across the net. 

 “Just because we are playing Pine Creek, we are competing against ourselves first,” Perkett said. “We need to be the best Rampart team we can be. Need to be better than ourselves yesterday. We need to be who we need to be, and the game will take care of itself.”

The Rams have not been to state since 2022, when they advanced to the semifinals and lost to eventual champion Valor Christian 3-1. To get back to the state, the team has developed a mindset of staying focused and pushing themselves to improve each day. 

The Rams know they have a special team this season, and they don’t want to miss the chance to capitalize. 

“One of our goals is that we are going to work harder now than last year and next year harder than this year,” Perkett said. “We never want to stay stagnant, even on a daily basis we want to be better than we were yesterday, and then tomorrow is going to be better than today. We know what it’s like to lose, so we need to train to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”