Plains and Hot Springs square off
In their first volleyball home game of the season the Plains Lady Trotters took on the Hot Springs Lady Savage Heat, coming out victorious in three sets.
The Hot Springs girls had a slow start, struggling to overcome their nerves as Plains pulled ahead. The Lady Savage Heat gave up possession of the ball a number of times, sending it out of bounds or into the net. Plains presented a strong game during both defense as well as offense, though, and quickly gained a strong lead. The set ended with a score of 25-10 to Plains.
The Lady Trotters gained a quick lead in the second period as well, though this time Hot Springs was close behind. The visiting team brought a stronger game across the board, quickly catching up to Plains any time they started getting ahead.
There was a brief pause in play when the ball was lost under the bleachers, but a kid from the stands was quickly recruited to recover it and the game recommenced.
The second set ended with a close score of 25-22 to Plains.
As the second half began, Hot Springs came out on fire; both teams played a strong game with multiple volleys before the first score was made. The Lady Savage Heat gained an early lead, pulling ahead of the Plains girls. The Lady Trotters remained strong, though, and were able to tie up the game. While they began pulling ahead, Hot Springs stayed close behind and it remained anyone’s game with neither team gaining a significant advantage.
The third set was especially intense; both teams fought hard and pushed themselves in an effort to get ahead of the competition – often, when a player spiked the ball out of bounds, they let out a groan of intense frustration. Hot Springs was able to pull back into the lead; it was temporary, though, and Plains soon pulled back ahead to claim victory. The set ended with a score of 25-22.
Hot Springs Head Coach Alisia Pablo said the team’s nerves were playing up a lot during the game – they have a young team, comprised mostly of freshmen and sophomores, with limited experience. The girls were able to get over them though and play a more intense game.
“They got their jitters out,” Pablo said. “They finally got a feel for things and really started playing.”
They were also working on a new offensive strategy, so the more experienced players needed to get adjusted to those changes as well. Overall, though, the coach felt the team did very well and came together as a cohesive team. One member of the team particularly stood out to her though; she felt freshman Karly Lawson was the fire for the team.
Pablo said she stepped up to keep the team motivated and charged throughout the game.
Overall, though, the coach felt the team looked good. While some things needed improvement, the girls worked well together and she was confident in how they looked for the season.
“Everything else will come together as we play more,” she said.
During upcoming practices the girls will be working on their serves, receiving the ball and moving around the court.
Plains Head Coach Jessica Butcher was also confident in how her team looked for this season. While there are still some things to work on, she felt they performed well in their first conference game of the season. She felt there were some issues in communication and serves during the game, which will be worked on during team practices, though everything was settling into place.
“They’ve been working hard and things are coming together,” Butcher said.
The four seniors on the team – Kimberly Earhart, Leah Thompson, Ronnie Black and Lily Huenink – particularly came together to leader the team.
The next game for the Lady Trotters will be on Thursday, September 10 in Charlo; Junior Varsity will begin playing at 5:30 pm. The Lady Savage Heat’s next will be on Friday, September 11 at home against Two Eagle River with varsity playing at 7 pm and another home game against Noxon at 6.