Troy battles through close sets in 3-0 loss to Loyola
Troy sophomore Talise Becquart slams home a kill for the Lady Trojans’ last point of their final set against the Loyola Sacred Hear Breakers on Saturday. (Ben Kibbey/The Western News)
The Troy High School volleyball team may have started slow in their 3-0 loss to the Loyola-Sacred Heart Breakers on Saturday, but finished strong despite the falling short of a comeback.
The Lady Trojans hung close until the very end in the final set, and over all the score is one of the best they have had in the five matches they have played this season.
The players have grown a lot as a team in such a short time, said Troy Head Coach Jordan Graves.
“They’re doing a really good job overall. The unity is much better than it was at the beginning of the season, and this is only game five,” she said.
Middle blocker Ella Pierce had a particularly good game, Graves said. “She really stood out to me today, hustling and just really getting it done on the net.”
And the team overall is working much more smoothly as the bumps from early in the season begin to iron out.
“I think that inexperience that we were experiencing at the beginning of the season in a few players has gone away,” Graves said. “They’re really getting into their element — as far as the quicker game, the harder hits and stuff like that. They’re stepping it up.”
Graves said she was not just pleased with the Lady Trojans’ performance on Saturday, but proud as well.
“They have improved a lot, as far as passing and serving, we’ve done a lot better,” she said.
Graves said that as the team continues to function better as a single unit, the transformation they are seeing can’t be attributed to any one person.
“Everybody’s just stepping up a little bit, and realizing that they have a part to play — and they’re all playing it,” she said.
The Lady Trojans play Libby High School tonight at 5:30 p.m. After that, all of their games will be on the road until Friday, Oct. 5, when they return to the Troy Activity Center to take on Stillwater, with junior varsity scheduled for 4 p.m. and varsity following.
Saturday, Sept. 15
Loyola 3, Troy 0
Sets: 13-25, 21-25, 18-25
T: 12 ace, 20 kill, 4 block, 18 assist;, 39 dig Team leaders: Ella Pierce 7 kill; Mazzy Hermes 9 dig; Leader: Katelynn Tallmadge 4 ace; Ella Pierce 3 block; Annie Day 16 assist
L: 12 ace, 24 kill, 7 block, 15 assist, 40 digs; Team leaders: Sam Clevenger 12 kills, Megan Tribble 17 dig, Molly McHugh 4 ace, Carly Tipp 5 block, Molly McHugh 15 assist