GMS netters post third-place finishes in conference tourneys

Both the seventh and eighth grade volleyball teams finished third in their respective conference tournaments last weekend.

The eighth grade Buffs competed in Meeteetse where they opened action Saturday playing Ten Sleep. They tossed the Pioneers in two sets, which propelled them into the semi-finals to face Burlington.

The Buffs played well in the opening set but still lost. They played even better in the second set and won it, so whether they made the championship match all depended on the third set. “Unfortunately,” coach Sean Patrick said, “we couldn’t hold ourselves together and ended up with the loss.”

The Buffs played Meeteetse in the game to determine third place and defeated the Pioneers in two sets.

“We ended the season on a positive note,” said Patrick. “We definitely had our ups and downs, lots of drama, but I feel like our team came out the other side better in volleyball and maybe even a little better in life and how to deal with so many things all at once.”

In closing, Patrick said he was satisfied with the way the team ended this year. “We know there’s always room for improvement!” he said, and thanked his athletes for a “great season of middle school volleyball.”

Seventh grade results

The seventh grade netters went into the Big Horn Conference Tournament as the top seed and drew a bye in the opening round.

The young Buffs met Shoshoni in their first game and fell to the fourth seed in three sets, sandwiching a win in the second with losses in the first and third.

The loss sent them into the match for third and fourth against Rocky Mountain. They captured third place, winning the first and third sets after losing the second.

Coach Lupe Murdoch said her team had “an incredible season” which they ended with a 15-1 record. She praised her athletes’ hard work and determination.

The tournament losses, she said, were due to “missed serves, silly mistakes, (and) passing.” Her team took the loss hard, but Murdoch said, “The girls should be so proud. They improved so much this season…and I am so proud of them and am so honored I got to coach them this year.”

Members of the team included Reagan Vigil, Bonnie Rhodes, Joey Boyer, Lilliann Otto, Josey Whaley, Lovely Araiza, Josie Collingwood, Ella Keisel, Kaylee Cervantes, Makinli Mowery, Wendy Garcia and Myka Baker.