Hot Springs goes 0-2 in opening week

One traditional power, Drummond, and one traditionally average team, Lincoln, were on the menu this past week for the Hot Springs Lady Heat volleyball team.

Neither menu item was particularly tasty when all was said and done. 

The Lady Trojans from Drummond were the first course, served this past Thursday in Hot Springs where they came away with a 3-0 sweep of the young Lady Heat. 

Saturday the entree was Lynx, as in Lincoln High Lynx, and they produced indigestion in a hard-fought, 3-1 win over the visiting Heat. 

The two losses left Hot Springs with a 0-2 record to start the 2024 season. 

But there were several bright spots for the Heat as well. 

Thursday on St. Regis’ home court, the visitors got off to a 10-3 first set lead and never trailed the rest of the opening set.  By mid-set it was 10-3 in favor of the Trojans before the Heat rallied behind some solid digs and returns, cutting the visitor’s lead to 18-15, then 19-16.   

Drummond regrouped after a timeout and pulled away to a 23-17 lead on their way to a 25-18 first set win and a 1-0 match lead. 

The second set was tied three times in the early going, the last tie at 4-4.  From there, the taller, athletic Trojans began building a lead that by mid-match was 14-8.  They ran off five straight points, going up 19-8, as they rolled to a 25-13 set two victory and a 2-0 match advantage. 

Set number three was pretty much all Drummond as the bolted out to a 9-0 lead, then coasted to a 25-9 match clinching set win. 

Hot Springs junior Kara Christensen and three kills and one block to lead the Heat in those categories, while senior Brooke Jackson led the team with three service aces and three assists.  Junior Callie Cano had a team high five digs for the Heat. 

Saturday in Lincoln, the host team captured the first set with a 25-19 win to take a 1-0 match advantage. 

However, Hot Springs came out in the second set and dominated play as they evened the match score with a 25-11 set victory. 

The often-pivotal set three was then won by the home team, 25-15.  Setting up a must win fourth set for the Heat. 

It was not to be, although the Lady Heat showed determination to the final point of a 25-21 match clinching, 3-1 loss. 

Christensen had an outstanding match for the Heat, serving up four aces to tie teammate Cano for the lead in that category.  Christensen was also the team’s kill leader with 6, and was tops on the team with four blocked shots. 

Jackson had an eye-popping 20 assists to lead the Heat, along with a team best five digs. 

The win squared Lincoln’s record at 1-1, while the Heat dropped to 0-2 on the just underway year. 

Next on the schedule for Hot Springs is a home match tonight (Tuesday, Sept 10), with Stillwater Christian. Friday (Sept 13), the Lady Heat travel to Charlo for a crucial early season game against the always strong Vikings.