Trotters notch win heading into district tourney

In the topsy-turvey world that is the Western 7B volleyball conference, there’s good and not-so-good.

Good teams in the upper echelons, this year, of the conference, and struggling teams in the bottom half of the conference. 

So it was for the Plains Trotters volleyballers this past week as members of the conference’s upper crust group in the six-team league, which gathers in T Falls this coming weekend for the District tournament playoffs. 

The Trotters began their week with a home match versus Troy and cruised past the Lady Trojans, who are 0-11 in league play. Two nights later they fell to first-place Eureka. 

Plains jumped out to a 5-1 lead early, before Troy rallied to close the gap to 9-7 in the first set.  Troy stayed close to the Trotters but could not stop them from building a mid-set 20-13 lead on their way to a 25-15 win and a 1-0 match advantage. 

The second set was also close early and was tied at six.  However, as was the case in the first set, Plains steadily pulled away from the visitors and emerged with a 25-14 set win and a 2-1 match lead. 

It was more of the same in the third set as Plains rolled to a 25-10 victory and a 3-0 match sweep. 

Senior Teagan Saner had an outstanding match, leading the team in kill shots with 15, blocks with seven, service aces with five and digs with 15. Lakko led the team in assists with 34. 

Against Eureka on the Lady Lions home court, Plains was looking to avenge a narrow, 3-2 match loss in Plains in early October.  But the road was not kind to the Trotters, nor were the Lady Lions. 

In what was a hard-won set, Eureka held off Plains for a 25-20 set one win and a 1-0 match lead.  The Lady Lions then won the second set, 25-12, building an early lead then expanding it the rest of the way as they increased their match lead to 2-0. 

Set three showed why Plains is in the top ranks of the conference as the Trotters regrouped and took the Lions to the limit before falling 26-24 to complete the Eureka sweep. 

Lakko once again topped the Trotters in assists with 24.  Teagan Saner led two categories for Plains, kill shots (9) and blocks (6).  Lexi Deming had a team high three service aces, while Taylor Saner was tops in digs with 17.  Lakko had 14 digs, and Deming had 13 for Plains. 

Plains now travels up the highway this weekend to take part in the District 7B tournament this Saturday. 

Both Plains and Superior have play-in games this Tuesday (Oct 29) at 6 pm.  Plains will host Troy, while Superior travels to Mission for a play-in match, also at 6 pm.

    Aubree Butcher and Aly Roy (right) work together on an incoming shot from Troy during their match last week in Plains. (Photo by Tracy Scott)