The Powell High School volleyball team swept Wheatland to open state tournament play in Casper last weekend, before falling a few points short against Tongue River in a 3-2 loss and being eliminated in the consolation bracket by Douglas 3-1 on Saturday.

POWELL 3, WHEATLAND 0

(25-18, 25-19, 25-23)

Starting the tournament as the No. 2 seed out of the west the Panthers (24-15) took on the east No. 3 seed Bulldogs (19-16-1).

It was close early between the two teams, as the Panthers held a slight 12-11 lead midway.

A Kindyle Floy ace made it 17-13 and forced a Wheatland, timeout before Powell pulled ahead for a 25-18 win on a lift by the Bulldogs.

Powell started strong in the second, as a Maddie Valdez ace made it 10-5 and forced an early timeout from Wheatland.

Leah Graham’s serve continued the run in the second, as her serve couldn’t be returned and Powell led 15-6.

Kadenze Carter’s kill capped off the set win 25-19.

Looking for the sweep the Panthers did not get off to the quickest start in the third, as they trailed 12-8 and talked things over.

Ava Brewer’s kill tied the match at 13 and Graham’s ace gave Powell the lead.

The match remained close as Powell and Wheatland were tied at 18.

Powell pulled away late, aided by another Valdez ace and a Floy kill sealed the win 25-23.

“It was really great to see the girls come together and push through some tight, high-pressure sets to close it out in three,” coach Anna Flitner said. “Sweeping that first match gave us a boost of confidence and momentum heading into the next day.”

TONGUE RIVER 3, POWELL 2

(25-27, 25-21, 23-25, 25-20, 15-7)

In the semifinal on Friday the Panthers took on the top seed out of the east in the Eagles (23-10-1).

The Panthers trailed early in the first set, but battled back to close the gap to 16-14 and force a timeout by Tongue River.

Powell claimed the lead on a Carter ace, but the Eagles pushed back in front and had a chance to win the set up 24-21.

A Brewer kill got Powell within one, before her block on the other side of a timeout tied the match at 24.

The Panthers carried that momentum and took the win 27-25.

Powell again trailed early in the second, but a service run by Graham brought Powell back from 15-7 to 15-12.

The Panthers got within a point, but the Eagles extended the lead back out and finished with a 25-21 win.

Powell started the third with a quick 8-4 lead and expanding it to 12-4 behind Abigail Visocky’s serve.

Tongue River fought back, slicing the lead down to 16-14 after a hit out and forcing Powell to talk it over.

Powell pushed its advantage back out to 19-14 after a Carter ace, and Powell did enough late to hold on for a 25-23 win.

The Panthers started the fourth with a 7-2 start to force a timeout by the Eagles.

Tongue River rallied, and eventually tied the match at 11.

“They made some great adjustments mid-match and started picking up our tips and roll shots really well. On our end, we backed off being aggressive and got in our own heads a bit, which made it tough to regain our rhythm and pull together when things got tight,” Flitner said.

Powell regained the lead, but a strong finish by the Eagles saw them claim the set 25-20.

In the decisive fifth set the Panthers dug themselves a massive hole, as Tongue River jumped out to a 7-0 lead.

Brewer’s kill stopped the run, and eventually a Peyton Ott kill trimmed the lead down to 8-5.

The Eagles slammed the door shut, ending with a 15-7 win.

“It was definitely a tough pill to swallow because everyone in the gym could see we were fully capable of winning that match,” Flitner said. “Sometimes that’s just how the game goes, but it serves as a learning experience and motivation for the girls returning next year.”

DOUGLAS 3, POWELL 1

(25-19, 23-25, 25-18, 25-11)

On Saturday the Panthers had an early start taking on the Bearcats (28-9-2).

Powell trailed 10-3 early, but closed the gap down to 12-9 and forced a Douglas timeout.

The Bearcats extended their lead, making it 20-14 before finishing with a 25-19 win.

Powell led midway through the second set, before the two teams continued exchanging the lead.

Douglas led 20-17 late, but a Floy ace tied the match at 20.

The Bearcats made it 23-21, before an Autumn Kidd block eventually tied it and an Ava Teten ace won the set 25-23.

In the third set the Bearcats held the advantage midway through, not allowing the Panthers to find their way back in, as they took the third set 25-18.

A tough third set saw Powell trail early and never recover, as the Bearcats cruised to a 25-11 set win to end the season for the Panthers.

“It’s always brutal turning around for an early morning match right after such a big loss. Our energy was a bit low, and paired with the quick turnaround and lack of sleep, it was just too much for us to overcome,” Flitner said. “Douglas played really well too. They have some outstanding hitters that put a lot of pressure on us.”

SEASON ENDS

Ending the year the Panthers had plenty of accomplishments, finishing second at the regional tournament while also coming within a few points of making the state championship match.

Powell will say goodbye to several starters as well as five total seniors from the rotation.

“We saw so many wonderful things from this group all season, especially in how much they grew in playing for each other,” Flitner said. “It’s something these girls should be incredibly proud of. We are especially grateful for our seniors — they gave so much to this program over the last few years and they will be deeply missed next season.”