Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Worland Senior Sierra Borovatz receives a serve and passes the ball up front against Rawlins Saturday morning during the Wyoming 3A state volleyball tournament. Worland lost 3-0 to Rawlins.
CASPER - Coming off a disappointing 3-1 loss against Douglas Friday night in the semifinals during Wyoming 3A state volleyball tournament, the Worland Lady Warriors had to quickly rebound against a familiar foe, the Rawlins Lady Outlaws, in order to bring home a third-place finish.
While Worland gave maximum effort by hustling all over the court and diving to keep the ball in play, it wouldn't be enough as they lost 3-0, 25-19, 25-18, 25-17, to Rawlins and abruptly shutting the book on their 2016 season.
"We didn't bounce from our loss in the semis," said WHS volleyball coach Brittany Miller. "To turnaround and play that morning, you have to have that bounce there, but nothing was going for them even with them working their hardest. Volleyball is a momentum game and a game of errors, and Rawlins was just better than us that day."
Each of the three games were similar to one another. Early on Worland and Rawlins traded points. Worland used a small run to take the lead, Rawlins responded by going on a larger run. Worland fought back to a tie but Rawlins then used a small spurt to close out the game.
No matter what Worland did Rawlins seemed to have an answer as they sent last season's champions home early. "They were trying so hard and when you're forcing it in volleyball you tend to make more errors. It's discouraging and their head were down leaving the match," said coach Miller.
As frustrating as it was to end the season early while falling short of the season goal of repeating as 3A state champions, coach Miller was nonetheless proud of her team and of her seniors, for all the hard work they put in this season. "With this amazing group we have, what I really feel like are some of the bets kids to coach in the whole school. Afterward we commended our seniors and thanked them for everything they've done for our program," said Miller.
The Worland seniors, Sierra Borovatz, Mackenzie Cottrell, Bailey Gibbons, Shania McGarvin, Lyndzi Rich and Charlee Townsend, are the first group of players coach Miller has had for all four years and after the match Saturday morning she thanked them for all they've done in helping build a strong volleyball program.
"In the locker room we talked about their trip to state their sophomore year, which was the first time in a long time, and for them it just wasn't about getting to state they went through three rounds," said Miller. "As juniors they helped bring home a state championship and as seniors they returned and played another three rounds of it. We just tried to end on a positive note. As a coach you want to send them off with a win, so that's what makes it really hard but I tell you what this is a special group of ladies to coach. We left that locker room really thankful and appreciative of what they done for this program."
