Volleyball team ends season with 2 losses

For the Green River Lady Wolves, just making it to state was a goal they could check off the list of things to accomplish for the 2016 season.

While at state, the girls would have liked to win at least one game, but when going up against some pretty good teams that goal wasn’t obtained this year. The girls lost two games in a row, which ended their 2016 season.

Head coach Rikki Shantz said the team was hoping to play a different team than powerhouse Cheyenne East, but that’s how bracket setups are formed.

She said most of the teams at state were hoping some team, any team, would create an upset for Cheyenne East, but that wasn’t the case this year.

The girls played Cheyenne East Thursday, and lost in three sets, 13-15, 18-25, 16-25.

“I felt like they really looked nervous,” Shantz said about her girls in the first set.

However, the girls started to relax in the second set against Cheyenne East and played pretty well. Once again, Shantz said the final sets scores didn’t reflect how she felt her team played. 

“We were actually right with them,” she said.

The Lady Wolves were swapping points with Cheyenne East until they would hit about the 13-16 point mark, then Cheyenne East would go on a run and outscore them.

“I was really happy with how the girls played,” Shantz said. “East has a ton of weapons obviously. They dominated the entire tourney.”

Dominate they did. Cheyenne East only dropped one set in the entire tournament to take the 4A State Championship title. Kelly Walsh settled for second, Laramie took third and Natrona County grabbed fourth.

During the Lady Wolves game against Natrona County, the Lady Wolves won the first set,  25-21, but lost the remaining three, 21-25, 22-25, 17-25.

Shantz said her girls played like they really wanted that win. She said some teams after they lose, seem to lose momentum and give up, but not her Lady Wolves. She said they fought hard for every point they could get.

Natrona County controlled the pace of the game after the first set and the Lady Wolves didn’t like the pace. Shantz said it is all a learning experience and the girls did well for being one of the smallest schools in the 4A conference.

“Basically, all season the girls fought for what we got,” Shantz said.

For three seniors, including Taylor Stoeger, Eliza Morin and Mallory Seymour, this was their last game.

For the remaining players, this was a good time to get used to the environment of state competition. Nothing prepares someone more for playing a game at state then being there before, Shantz said.

Shantz said the girls continued to get better as the season progressed and with such a young team she takes this as a good sign.

“I can’t wait to see what next year brings,” Shantz said.