Coach sees silver linings in weekend matches

The Lady Buff JV met the Rocky Mountain Grizzlies Friday night before an enthusiastic home-town crowd and came out strong in the first set, before bowing to the Grizzlies, 25-27. The second set was not good and the Griz swept the floor with Greybull and won the set, and the match, 10-25.

Coach Christine Armel said her athletes “came out really strong.” Angela Myers led the team in serves, prompting her coach to say, “She served really aggressively and kept us in the game.”  Armel said her team stayed with Rocky and showed great teamwork and great attitudes. “When we switched sides, we really we really had a hard time doing anything on serve receive. We couldn’t seem to pass or communicate.”

Against Thermop Saturday, the JV extended the match to three sets, losing the first 14-25, but came back strong to win the second set 26-24 and then dropping the third set, and the match, 14-25.

“They were playing against a lot of Thermop’s varsity players and it was a challenge for our girls on the net,” Armel said. “Even with that, they were able to win the second set and the team was doing great things against them.”

Brooklyn Allen was praised for “really stepping up and working the net,” as was Fallon Hoffman. “Those two have shown a lot of growth in learning what to do when it comes to a middle player and keeping the ball in play as well as getting touches.”

Adeline Kunkel and Nathalie Diaz-Rios were praised for “doing a great job playing defensively off bloc kas well as getting some great attacks in.”

The young Buffs close out their season Saturday against the Lady Blue of Shoshoni.