Lady Bobcats continue to improve

The Superior High School volleyball team came out strong Thursday night at home against Granite with a commanding 25-9 first set win.

Head Coach Beth Janney said that the team brought their best for the match against Granite and was firing on all cylinders from the beginning.

“We came out strong and took that first game from Granite handily,” Janney said. “The girls were in the zone and playing as a team. They let nothing hit the floor and were finding spots to put the ball on the other side of the court. Everyone was out there having fun.”

Granite however is a tough squad and used to coming back from being down. The Lady Bobcats found themselves facing a team that knew they had to come back and respond to the first set loss.

“Granite is a good team and they know how to fight back after a loss like that,” Janney said.

The Lady Bobcats dropped the next three games to Granite.

“It was a good game and the girls learned that they can go out there and compete with anyone as long as they play as a team,” Janney said.

As senior leader Michele Smith said, it was a match the cats should have won.

“We knew we shouldn’t have lost to granite,” Smith said. “Yes they are a good team. But we can be better and we proved that when we beat up on them 25 to 9 in the first game.”

However with a tournament on Saturday in Arlee, Smith and the Lady Bobcats knew they had to bounce back and bring their best to the tournament.

“We worked on what we needed to the next day in practice like we always do,” Smith said. “Then we brought our A game.”

The Bobcats took fourth in the tournament at Arlee and Janney said she was impressed with her squad.

“We only lost two games during the tournament, one to Granite which was very close, and the game to St. Regis,” Janney said. “It was a long day of volleyball, but the girls are in excellent shape and played tough all day, they looked good out there.”

Smith added that the tournament performance showed her and the rest of the team how much potential they have.

“It (the tournament) showed us we can make it far as long as we try hard,” Smith said.

Janney said that with upcoming home games against Arlee and Charlo, she is going to focus on coming together as a team this week in practice.

“Last week there were moments when everyone was on and things were clicking so this week we will work on keeping those moments for entire matches, not just for the first game,” Janney said.

As the sole senior on the squad, Smith said she is committed to continuing to being a team leader and pushing the team as far as they can go.

“And that’s state,” Smith said. “I know everyone looks at us and they see we are young and kind of scrappy. But under dogs do prevail and we will out work anyone we go up against.”