Lady Panthers sting Hornets

After beating them twice earlier in the season, Saratoga’s Lady Panthers suffered an unexpected conference loss Saturday against the Lusk Lady Tigers.

The match’s scores were 25-18, 11-25, 19-25, 25-21 and 14-16, and put the Lady Panthers at a tie for first place in the 2A southeast conference. Their season record currently sits at 5-2-0 for conference and 16-8-0 overall.

Earlier last week, Saratoga came off a win with 25-23, 20-25, 25-22 and 25-23 Oct. 8 against Pine Bluffs’s Lady Hornets, another southeast conference team. Coach Shayley Love said she was pleased with the mid-week win against Pine Bluffs, but was somewhat surprised with losing to Lusk, after beating them in two previous season matches.

“We just lost our composure and got a bit rattled,” she said. “We had a player out with an injury so we had to make some adjustments and just couldn’t get the momentum. This week will determine our final placing going into regionals, and the only thing in our way is our own mental preparation. We have to be completely focused and get the job done.”

Love said she felt that overall her girls made up a better team than Lusk’s, but could have worked on defensive play and serving.

“Our serving was weak and we didn’t move as well on defense as we like to, but overall I think the match was comparable to the one against Pine Bluffs,” she said. “I don’t think Lusk has a great team. Yes, they have some talent, but overall I feel we have the better team. We just didn’t play our style of volleyball, but the game was back and forth the whole match.”

Love said also her girls could have had the power to win Saturday, after previously being ranked first in the 2A southeast conference.

“It was a better match for them than last time, but not for us,” she said. “I guess as a spectator it was a good game to watch because it was back and forth, but coming into this game with the record we had, there is no reason they should have got the win. We needed to serve better and adjust better defensively.”

The Lady Panthers next play two southeast conference home games—one against Burns at 3:30 p.m. Friday, and another against Southeast at 1 p.m. Saturday. Love said she is excited for what may come, and expects good things to happen.

“I’m excited that we are finally coming to that point in our season where we get to think about regionals and state,” she said. “There’s always emotions with senior night, but it will be fun. Playing some great volleyball against the teams that have been ranked all season, and I would like to see the girls finish the season strong. Our girls have a good chance for state as long as they continue to play their style of volleyball.”

Love also encouraged everyone to wear pink for breast cancer awareness at Friday’s game against Burns, and mentioned Saturday’s game against Southeast will feature a senior recognition special.