Weiser’s season ends with loss to Homedale

A loss to the Parma Panthers in the first round of district play pitted the Lady Wolverines against the Homedale Trojans in the consolation bracket.  

 With a 3A state tournament berth on the line, both teams were on a mission to avoid elimination from the District tournament.

 The first set of the match was a trading of points throughout the set, with neither team exhibiting any dominance over their opponent until the 16-16 mark. Despite a kill by Sara Lundberg and an ace by Ciana Fuller, the Wolverines could not get any solid footing and dropped the set 20-25.

 The second set started out slow for the Wolverines, quickly falling behind 0-5. Grace Soulen recorded a kill following a long rally, which sparked the Wolverines.  Lundberg began serving, recording an ace and pulling the Wolverines within 2-points at 3-5. Soulen added a kill, Ciana Fuller served up an ace and Lundberg killed an overfed Trojan pass to keep the Wolverines within striking distance, but at the 9-10 mark, the Wolverines lost their mojo.  

 The ladies went from battling for every ball to struggling to move their feet and communicate.  The Wolverines were unable to recovery from the slump they had slipped into and lost the second set 12-25.

 For as difficult as the second set appeared, the third set started out to be the exact opposite for the Lady Wolverines. Soulen began the set with an ace, and the Wolverines began to gradually build on that momentum, limiting mistakes and playing hard. 

 Lundberg served the Wolverines into a 7-3 lead, aided by Soulen with a kill, but the Wolverines were unable to maintain the intensity midway through the set and serve receive troubles allowed the Trojans to go on a 10-3 scoring run over the Wolverines.  

 Lundberg stopped the surge at 10-17 with a kill.  Soulen followed suit with a kill from the back row and Macy Moore tacked on an ace serve, minimizing the Trojan lead to four (18-13).  

 Once again the Wolverines fell dangerously behind at 14-20 and redeemed themselves with two kills by Lundberg, kills by Soulen and Macey Buescher and an ace serve by Bella Strasser to 18-23, but there was not enough points left in the set to finish the comeback and the Wolverines fell to the Trojans in the final set 19-25 and the match 0-3.