Lady Trojans show potential on the court
Troy junior Ella Pierce gets a kill in the third set against Mission, making the score 15-12, Mission.(Ben Kibbey/The Western News)
Troy sophomore Talise Bequart goes up for a kill to start off a 5 point run as the Lady Trojans fought to come back late in the third set against Mission Saturday. (Ben Kibbey/The Western News)
Troy junior Katelynn Tallmadge makes a kill early in the first set against Mission Saturday, bringing the score to 10-7, Mission. (Ben Kibbey/The Western News)
The Troy High School volleyball team is fighting to show what they can do.
Against the Mission Lady Bulldogs, the Lady Trojans fell in the third set, despite a last-minute attempt at a comeback.
Early in the set, Troy kept the game close, trading off the lead four times with the Lady Bulldogs before Mission pulled into a 23-15 lead.
Then Troy Head Coach Jordan Graves called a timeout.
“I just told them that it wasn’t over, and that we still had to fight, even to the last point,” she said. “And that’s what they did. They fired it up and picked it up a little bit and played like a team.”
Junior Talise Becquart lead the comeback attempt with the first point, slamming home a kill. In minutes, the Lady Trojans narrowed the Mission lead to 23-20, and kept fighting to the end.
After a match against Florence Carlton the night before where the team had seemed worn down, the last-minute push by the Lady Trojans on Saturday stood out.
Graves complimented senior Annie Day both for her own performance in the final set and the performance she brought out of her fellow players.
One thing Graves said she is excited to see is the ongoing improvement this far into the season.
Graves also agreed that alongside some clear talent, there is also potential that hasn’t been fully realized.
Becquart has shown she can nail down powerful hits, and often comes out with well-timed plays. But, she is still working on consistency.
“Talise has a lot of natural ability. She’s just built like an athlete and she’s really quick,” Graves said.
Graves said she wants to see Becquart and other Lady Trojans recognize their capabilities and dial in their talents.
The Lady Trojans will next play at home at 1 p.m. on Saturday — beginning with JV — when they face Loyola Sacred Heart.
Friday, Aug. 31
Deer Lodge 3, Troy 0
Sets: 10-25, 8-25, 7-25
Saturday, Sept 1
Anaconda 3, Troy 0
Sets: 14-25, 12-25, 12-25
Tuesday, Sept 4
Noxon 3, Troy 1
Sets: 25-20, 12-25, 14-25, 13-25
T: 14 ace, 15 kill, 1 block, 11 assist, 33 dig
Team Leaders: Katelynn Tallmadge 5 ace, 1 kill, 9 assist, 11 dig; Montana Rice 5 ace, 4 kill, 3 dig; Talise Becquart 6 kill, 1 assist, 9 dig
Friday, Sept. 7
Florence 3, Troy (0-3) 0
Sets: 7-25, 6-25, 11-25
T: 8 kill, 1 block, 8 assist, 16 dig
Team Leaders: Montana Rice 4 kill, Ella Pierce 1 block, Talise Becquart 5 dig
Saturday, Sept 8
Mission 3, Troy (0-4) 0
Sets: 15-25, 11-25, 22-25
R: 6 ace, 14 kill, 3 block, 13 assist, 30 dig
Team Leaders: Cami Finley 2 ace, Montana Rice 2 ace, Ella Pierce 6 kill, Montana Rice 3 block, Annie Day 9, Annie Day 10 dig