Killdeer loses in three sets on road in Hebron
Sep. 23—HEBRON — The Killdeer Cowboys took on the Glen Ullin/Hebron Bearcats at Hebron Highschool Thursday evening and came up short 0-3. The Cowboys have had a rocky start on the season, winning only three out of nine games so far. Their roster, however, is resilient and determined to make a comeback.
The Cowboys have two things working in their favor: a lineup consisting primarily of upper class men and a coach with a lot of drive. Five seniors and five juniors bring well-developed chemistry, leadership and experience to the team.
"I love these girls and I love the energy that they bring," Alan Asay, Cowboys head coach said. It's a lot of fun. They lost today, but they worked hard."
Asay is leading the varsity team for his first time this year, but he's worked with the Cowboys junior varsity girls for several years.
Going into set one, Killdeer was the first to score with a slap shot by junior outside hitter Kinley Boltz. The Cowboys lost their lead quickly however, as the Bearcats spiked balls into tight corners forcing Killdeer to dive for low shots. Throughout all three sets the Cowboys played a game of desperate catch up and generally trailed by at least 4 points.
The Bearcats challenged the Cowboys with a dominant blocking force up front that continuously slapped down shots. Killdeer struggled on a few serves that hit their side of the net giving easy points to Glen/Ullin. Shots out of bounds also cost them precious points. With a constant point deficit, they had no room for mistakes.
"Our passing was a lot better than what we have been doing," Lainey Kucera, Cowboys outside hitter said. "I think we had good coverage. I'm proud of our team."
In the middle of set 2, the Cowboys picked up a 15-12 lead. Defensive specialist Madeline Mills was in the right spot at the right time, saving a number of close balls for the Cowboys. Josey Anderson also put up a fight at the net, blocking high shots from the Bearcats. Alongside her, setter Gracie Doe tried to get to every ball she could, but the Bearcats quickly tied the score and moved into the lead. They successfully set each pass to their setter every time.
"We played a new defense today and tried to incorporate that with bringing our outsides in," Asay said. "We are learning, growing and still trying to get it. We have to be faster. When we get that done, we will be a very good team."
Glen/Ullin def Killdeer 3-0 (25-14, 25-20, 25-15)
Team Leaders: Kills — 3, Lainey Kucera; Digs — 8, Hatten Kleemann; Assists — 25, Gracie Doe
