Perkins County volleyball closes out season at sub-districts

After a hard-fought nine sets in four and a half hours at the sub-district volleyball tournament Monday, Oct. 25, the Perkins County volleyball team’s season has come to an end.

The Lady Plainsmen finished out their regular season last week with games against Kimball and Holyoke before heading into the post season where they first faced Sutherland, followed by Bridgeport.

Kimball

Tuesday, Oct. 19, the Lady Plainsmen traveled to Kimball, where they faced the Longhorns in three sets.

Perkins County picked up the first point of the game and though for a while Kimball matched them point for point, the Lady Plainsmen took the first set 26-24.

Coach Monica Cole said Kimball came out looking to compete in the first set.

“They battled us and put up a good fight,” she added. “I was proud of the girls for not letting them capture that set win and battling until we ended up on top.”

The next two sets were a bit more relaxed, Cole said.

“We still had to do our own work, but you could tell that the morale was a bit lower and setting into a comfort zone,” she continued.

The Lady Plainsmen ended up getting a sweep against Kimball, winning the final two sets 25-18 and 25-15.

Samantha Patrick led the team in kills with eight, and Kailee Potts and Meghan Bishop were just behind her with seven and six kills respectively.

Patrick also got four ace serves during the game, as well as seven digs along with Potts.

Libby Cole led in assists with 12.

Holyoke 

Later in the week, Thursday, Oct. 21, the Perkins County volleyball team hosted their final game of the regular season with Holyoke as their opponent for the evening.

Because the first round of football playoffs for Perkins County were the same day, Cole said the fans were split and they were missing the typically loud and fan-filled gym.

Perkins County’s girls started the first set strong, scoring several points before Holyoke could put a point on the scoreboard. However, Holyoke’s Dragons battled hard and took the first set 25-12.

The Lady Plainsmen battled hard in the final two sets, but the Dragons won both, 25-16 and 25-20.

“Holyoke is a good team,” Cole said. “The girls played okay, but in the end we couldn’t capture a set win.”

Cole added that she told the girls that whatever happens on the scoreboard doesn’t take away their pride as long as they are fighting for it and not just quitting.

“They played hard until the end and I was so proud of them,” she said.

Libby and Patrick led the team together in digs, with nine each, and Patrick also led in kills with five.

Sub-districts

“We knew going in that it was going to be a battle,” Cole said of the first round of C2-11 sub-districts against Sutherland Monday afternoon, Oct. 25.

The girls played five sets against their first opponents of the evening, earning wins in three of the sets.

The Lady Plainsmen took the first set 25-15, and after that, Cole said the team’s nerves settled a bit and she feels the team “got a little too comfy.”

“They are a good team that doesn’t go away, just like us, so we took it to the wire,” she added. “We knew we were in for a marathon last night, and the girls accepted that, wanted that and persevered through that. Getting through that game was so needed and the girls fought to the end.”

Sutherland took set two 25-18, followed by another win by Perkins County, 25-19. Sutherland came back and won set three by three points, 25-22, but Perkins County finished the game with a 15-10 win over Sutherland, moving them forward to the second game of the tournament.

One thing Cole noted about the game was how Kimball’s team stayed and watched and helped give Perkins County’s girls the confidence they were needing.

“They cheered for us, and that is when the girls knew what they have done thus far has showed so much in character, respect and growth,” she said. “They deserved that win, and they got it. I’m so proud of them and their fight.”

After a 45 minute break for the girls to rest and grab dinner, they were right back on the court for their next game, this time against Bridgeport who was seeded first in the C2-11 sub-districts.

Normally, Cole explained, the games are played across two nights, but they unfortunately had to play both games in the same evening.

“It didn’t really seem to phase the girls mentally, and that right there shows me their wisdom, grit and want for success,” Cole said. 

“Our mental game has been one of the largest roller coasters we have ever had to overcome, but the girls bought in to each other, to the team, to fighting, to leaving it all on the court last night.”

Bridgeport won the first set 25-16, but that didn’t deter the Lady Plainsmen from battling it out for the rest of the games. Perkins County took set two, 25-22, but Bridgeport came back and won the final two sets 25-14 and 25-23.

“Bridgeport put up a good game, but we gave it all we had,” Cole said. 

“In every time out, I kept telling the girls that they just needed to talk themselves into not being fatigued. If your legs say they’re tired, your mind says no. They did it, they competed and I couldn’t be more proud.”

Unfortunately the loss to Bridgeport brought Perkins County’s 2021 volleyball season to an end.

Cole said she and Coach Lee have seen the growth in the teams seniors throughout the four years they have been with the team, and they are in awe they got to coach them.

“It’s hard to say goodbye to a group of girls that you feel like have become your own,” she continued. 

“Our team word for the year was ‘united,’ and it couldn’t have been more perfect. These girls treated each other like a family and we are looking forward to what’s in store for the future of Perkins County Plainsmen volleyball.”