Lady Grizz struggle at Big Horn

The Rocky Mountain Lady Grizzlies didn’t have the outcomes they had hoped for at the Big Horn Invitational over the weekend.

Opening on Friday against Big Horn, the Lady Grizz came up short, 25-13 and 25-10.

“We had a 4:45 a.m. bus time and a 9 a.m. game, and it was a bit rough getting off the bus. We couldn’t quite get things together for this game,” head coach Stephanie Ames said.

They then went three sets with familiar foe Tongue River, losing 25-6, then rallying back to win 25-17 before falling in the third set 15-11.

“The first set of this game was very rough, but we finally started playing better in the second set,” Ames said. “The third set was very back and forth, and TR pulled it out in the last few points, but our girls played much better this match.”

Slow starts against Pine Bluffs cost the Lady Grizz as they fell 25-19 and 25-20 before facing Sundance in the final game of the day.

Sundance won both sets, 25-16 and 25-20.

“This game was to start at 4:30, but it was very delayed and we were still playing at 7:30,” Ames said. “The girls were exhausted from such an early start to the day and did their best to stay with Sundance. They did a lot of things well.”

On Saturday morning, the woes continued with Rocky Mountain dropping both sets to Moorcroft, 25-23, 25-23.

“Another come-from-behind in this game,” Ames said. “We were down 17-3 in the first set, and we came back very strong. We just are having a hard time starting hot.”

Against Wright, Rocky Mountain led the whole first set until Wright caught the Lady Grizz at 23 and took the win, 25-23.

The second set was back and forth the whole game, but Wright took the set 25-20.

“The girls started tough and played well,” said Ames.

“We played the toughest teams in Wyoming 2A and for the most part held our own,” Ames continued. “We were without Lauren Bassett (starting middle), and that can be hard, but Halle Grandalen really stepped up and played a heck of a tournament
for us.”

On the weekend, Brittly Boettcher led with 21 kills while Tarynn Schoening added 16, Grandalen nine, Keylee Christiansen five and Shelby Wambeke eight.

Christiansen led in assists with 31 total in Big Horn, and Wambeke added 24 assists of her own.

Grandalen was strong at the net with eight blocks, and Boettcher added five and Elliahna Scheeler three.

The Lady Grizz traveled to Powell to face the Lady Panthers on Tuesday and fought hard against a solid 3A opponent before losing 25-22, 25-20, 25-15 in straight sets.