DENVER – Dove Creek’s exceptional four-year run, guided by a special senior class, came to an end Friday morning at the 1A state volleyball tournament in Denver.

The Bulldogs (24-3) picked up a win in Thursday’s opening round action – their fourth straight trip with at least one win in the competition – but fell in their next two matches to close out their season. No. 8 seed Hi-Plains dealt the Bulldogs a straight-set defeat (25-16, 25-14, 25-19) in the first round of elimination bracket play.

That loss to the Patriots followed up a marathon opening day, in which Dove Creek battled through two five-set matches, topping Cheraw before falling to Idalia — playing over 400 points between the two matches.

As the No. 7 seed entering the bracket, the Bulldogs rallied from a two-set deficit to defeat the Bears to open the tournament. Dove Creek then gave No. 2 Idalia all it could handle through a back-and-forth contest that came down to a 15-13 deciding set that the Wolves won.

Seven seniors made their final appearances for the Bulldogs under first-year coach Erin Barry, piling up accolades along the way. Led by the Class of 2025, the Bulldogs won the San Juan Basin League for the second time in their four-year tenure. Dove Creek also won four straight regional titles, while tallying a 101-15 record over that span.