PASADENA -- Winning the first two games of a five-game match wasn’t enough to keep the Sterling volleyball season from coming to an abrupt end Tuesday night.
The Lady Rangers fell short to the La Porte Lady Bulldogs 3-2 with scores of 25-14, 25-21, 18-25, 21- 25, 12-15 in the Class 5A bidistrict match at Phillips Field House.
Ashlee Hikes led the way for the Lady Rangers with 21 kills. Taylor Zink had 19 digs and Chrisse Coile finished with 30 assists.
The first game saw the Lady Rangers jump to an early 6-0 lead. They held on to the lead for the entire game and eventually won by 11.
The second game was back and forth. The teams hung around each other until the Lady Rangers broke away from a 16-16 tie, and it was smooth sailing for the rest of the game.
But the remainder of the match was anything but smooth sailing for the Lady Rangers. They couldn’t seem to repeat their performances of the first two games as the Lady Bulldogs escaped with the win.
Despite the loss, Coach Nadine Horne said her team has a lot to be proud of after this season.
“We are the district champs,” she said. “They can’t take that away from us.”
Horne also said she’s happy for the opportunity to coach this year’s seniors, consisting of Marecila Polydore, Courtney Minyard, Denise White, Hikes and Zink.
“They’ve brought some leadership to the team,” she said. “They have done things for us that I wouldn’t have had anyone else do because of their quality leadership.”
The quality of leadership isn’t just with this year’s seniors, though. Horne says there are several girls on her young team that she expects to help fill the roles next year. Some of those team members are sophomore Grace Anne Hanson, freshman Katie Tadlock, junior Megan Powell, sophomore Raegan Guidry, freshman Lillian Carroll, junior Coile, sophomore Brittany Partin, junior Mykia Jackson, and sophomore Lacey Crenshaw.
“I told them, the skills they have right now and what they’re leaving with this year are pretty obvious and I look forward to them playing for me next year,” Horne said. “I’m just looking for the group to gel together and play as a team.”