Skip to main content

Lady Grizz End Drought

Oct 02, 2024 11:06AM ● By Jody Reeves

The Lady Grizzlies celebrate winning the match point in their game against Rich County.

The Grace Lady Grizzly volleyball team has had a rough month of September.  With seven straight losses some may look at their record and think it's time to move on from this year's team and start looking to rebuild for next season.  However, before you discard the Lady Grizzlies you have to look at their opponents during the month.  With teams like 4A Bear Lake, 3A Malad, 1A Grace Lutheran, and district rival Butte County, the schedule has been full of juggernauts that are all ranked at or near the top of their respective classifications.  One could even argue that it has been the most difficult stretch for any team in the state.  There was also a pair of unranked teams in that stretch ,but they were not pushovers by any means.  3A Soda Springs is a very solid team that Grace took to four games with the three lost sets coming by just two or three points in each set.  The one game that Grace would like to have back would be their five-set battle with Murtaugh.  But again, it was a very tight battle throughout and was a road game for Grace.  Even when playing a tough schedule where you are the underdog in nearly every match, going for a long stretch with no wins can be taxing on a team.  In short the Grizzlies were desperate for a win and a win is just what they earned when they welcomed in Rich County High School last Thursday.  

Rich County comes from Utah and has a school rule that teams cannot be excused prior to a set time of day.  As a result the C-team and JV games as well as the varsity game were all scheduled at a later time of day than usual.  With both of the early games going long, the varsity game began even later than its scheduled 8 o’clock start.  During the team warm ups, you got the sense that the Lady Grizzlies were ready to put an end to their losing streak.  They were coming out with high energy and intensity.  

Once the game got started after an early tie at one point each, the Grizzlies exploded on offense and jumped out to a 15-5 lead.  The reeling Rebels team called timeout at this point hoping to slow down the Grizzly attack.  Out of the timeout, the Grizzlies continued to dominate the set, eventually winning the open set 25-12.  The second set would be much of the same with Grace racing out to a 7-0 lead before another Rebel timeout.  The Grizzlies continued to roll after the timeout and easily won the second set 25-12.  At this point, the Lady Grizzlies were ecstatic, playing with as much joy as they have had all season.  Perhaps this is why the Grizzlies let their guard down a little in the third.  

The teams traded blows and the game was tied at four points a piece.  Rich County was able to gain a small advantage of two points and would hold that advantage for most of the set.  The Grizzlies would battle back and tie the set at seventeen but fall flat for the rest of the set eventually falling in set three 19-25.  With the Rebels now playing with renewed confidence the Lady Grizzlies needed to respond in the fourth set.  The Grizzlies answered the call and took off to a 10-5 lead.  The Rebels would not go away however as they came back and got to within a point at 14-13.  The rest of the set was a battle on every volley with the teams matching hits and blocks.  Eventually the Grizzlies gained a small cushion getting up 23-20 with Rich calling a timeout.  A few plays later Grace gave the ball to the Rebels with a 24-21 lead.  The game came to a finish with an anticlimactic net serve by the Rebels and the Grizzlis celebrated a win for the first time in nearly a month.  The Grizzlies next head to the Malad tournament this weekend where they no doubt will continue to see some tough competition.    

Upcoming Events Near You

No Events in the next 21 days.

Subscribe Now