Lady Grizzlies place third at Regionals, punch ticket to State

The Rocky Mountain Lady Grizzlies battled their way to a third-place finish at the 2A West Regional Tournament last weekend, showing grit, teamwork and a belief in each other that carried them through four emotional matches. Head coach Kay Townsend said she was proud of how her team “found ways to win when they were down and found ways to dig in and finish sets,” adding that teamwork had been their major focus in recent weeks.

Game #1 – Rocky 3, Wyoming Indian 0

The Lady Grizzlies opened the tournament strong with a straight-sets win over Wyoming Indian: 25-21, 25-15, 26-24. Rocky set an early tone of control and teamwork. The stats below are for two of the three games only (one game’s stats were lost).

Lauren Bassett paced the offense with 4 kills on 15 swings, while Keylee Christiansen dominated from the service line with 20 serves, 5 aces and 19 assists. Halle Grandalen added 8 kills, and Kaysie Cooley chipped in 5 more. The balanced defense saw four players record at least 3 digs as the Grizzlies’ strong start sparked momentum for the weekend.

Townsend said she was impressed with her team’s poise and ability to execute early.

“We talked about believing in ourselves and each other to get the win,” she said. “Everyone has a role and needs to play that role, knowing that everyone else is doing theirs.”

Game #2 – Big Piney 3, Rocky 0

Playing late into the evening, Rocky dropped a hard-fought match to Big Piney: 20-25, 25-27, 20-25. Despite the sweep, each set was competitive and filled with long rallies that showcased Rocky’s resilience.

Bassett led with 11 kills, while Grandalen added 5 kills and solid net play. Christiansen tallied 21 assists, and Cooley delivered 8 kills and 12 digs.

Townsend noted that the 9 p.m. match presented challenges but also revealed her team’s character.

“Playing a late game is always a struggle,” she said. “Even though it was our only loss, they fought hard, and the scores were close. The takeaway was to stay in the game at all times and not lapse our intense energy.”

Game #3 – Rocky 3, Thermopolis 1

Facing elimination on Saturday morning, Rocky stormed back to defeat Thermopolis in four sets: 26-28, 25-20, 25-21, 25-13. After dropping the opening frame, the Lady Grizzlies rallied with energy and precision.

Bassett turned in one of her best performances of the season with 23 kills on 51 swings and 20 digs, while Grandalen added 15 kills and 11 digs. Christiansen set up the attack with 40 assists and contributed 8 digs. Cooley had 5 kills and 14 digs, while Layla Gardner and Grandalen had 2 service aces each to help swing the momentum after the first set.

“We played together and worked as a team,” Townsend said. “Even when we were down, the girls pulled from behind. We talked about finishing strong in the red zone, those last 5 points after you reach 20, and they did exactly that.”

Game #4 – Rocky 3, Kemmerer 0

In the third-place match, Rocky delivered its most dominant performance of the weekend, sweeping Kemmerer 25-20, 25-9, 25-18.

Bassett once again led the charge with 11 kills and 12 serve receptions, while Grandalen powered through with 9 kills and 10 serve receptions. Christiansen recorded 23 assists and 3 kills, keeping Kemmerer off balance throughout the match. Cooley led defensively with 8 digs, and Charlee Welling added 7 digs and 3 assists.

Townsend said she was proud of the way her team responded when things were on the line.

“In our wins at Regionals, we played together and worked as a team,” she said. “This is a team of coachable girls. They give their all to make adjustments and improve. They are leaving footprints on my heart.”

A season of volleyball maturity

Townsend reflected on the journey from the start of the season to the regional podium finish.

“When I first met these girls, I was amazed at their talent and knowledge of the game,” she said. “What they’ve grown the most in is mental toughness—knowing that a mistake is part of volleyball, letting it go and moving on to the next point.”

The coach said her players often remind each other to “lock in” and stay focused, both in practice and in matches.

“Each player, from freshman to senior, plays a role on this team,” she added. “Now we’re going to work hard and give it our all on Thursday afternoon.”

With a strong showing at regionals and a renewed sense of confidence, the Lady Grizzlies head to State ready to compete, proving once again that teamwork and trust can turn challenges into victories.

Big Horn Rams in first game

The Lady Grizz head to State as the West Region’s No. 3 seed and will face the East Region’s No. 2 seed, the Big Horn Lady Rams, in the first round of the 2A State Championships. The game will be played at the Casper Events Center at 4:30 p.m. today (Thursday).