Broncos survive ACH comeback bids in four-set win

COULEE CITY — The Lind-Ritzville Broncos (3-0) volleyball team was victorious over the Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors (1-3) in four sets, securing a 3-1 win on the road against a fellow state semifinalist squad.  

“They wore us down defensively, and they play at a different pace than we're used to playing sometimes, and we struggle with that,” Broncos head coach Cari Galbreath said. “We shouldn't, but it-I think it's also a new season, (we’re) trying to figure some things out and working together.” 

The Broncos looked strong, taking the first set by double digits. However, the Warriors settled into the game in the second and eventually earned the win narrowly. From there, the two teams continued to battle in a tightly contested game, forcing the Broncos to earn each point. LRS ultimately secured the win in two straight sets, but not before needing extra play time in the fourth set to win 28-26 and the game 3-1. Though a loss doesn’t feel great, Warriors head coach Katie Walsh was proud of the fight her team showed.  

“I am happy with the way we fought,” Walsh said. “That's the thing that I think we have the most this year is just our fight. I don't think we started out any set strong, and yet they battled and fought their way back into the set and they never died. They're a good 2B team, it was a great game. We've lost some other close ones this season, I was really hoping for the girls that we could get a W, just for morale because they're working so hard this season.”  

First set 

The Broncos seemed to put their ‘Get in, get out,’ mentality to practice, jumping out to a commanding 11-4 lead over the Warriors. After they could settle into the game, ACH climbed back to cut the deficit to 12-10.  

Despite the offensive surge, Lind-Ritzville re-extended their lead to 21-12. Soon after, they sealed the first set win 25-15 and had firm control of the momentum heading into set two.  

Second set 

The Broncos started fast once again, taking a 4-1 lead. Despite that, ACH showed they had settled into the game as they rounded off a few scores before eventually tying the set 7-7. 

From there, the two teams traded scores, taking turns with the lead while the other climbed back from down two at times to tie the game. The set tied 8-8, 10-10, 14-14, 15-15 and 18-18 before ACH eventually pulled ahead of the Broncos, winning the set narrowly 25-23. 

Despite the Broncos starting faster than the Warriors, Walsh was proud of the mental fortitude her players showed in the face of adversity.  

“We've been able to keep it close against competitive teams because they keep their morale, their attitude super high, and they celebrate,” she said. “They celebrate every victory, and even when they don't have a victory, it's like ‘Okay, next point,’ and I think it's that positive mindset that really allows them to fight back.” 

Third set 

Both teams continued where they left off, as the score remained close in the early goings with the Broncos taking the lead first. However, LRS seemed to shrug their woes off as they built another commanding 21-12 lead over the Warriors.  

Like the previous set though, the ‘Cardiac Warriors’ were not going quietly, as they battled back through players like Grace Oakmoto, Hannah Brummett, Mallory Isaak, Dani Isaak and Josie Bayless to cut the Broncos lead to 22-21.  

However, a few errors on the Warriors side of the net allowed LRS score enough to seal the set win 25-21, giving the them a chance to win the game in set four.  

Fourth set  

The Broncos looked determined to do so, jumping out to a 6-0 lead. The Warriors once again battled back to tie the set 7-7. What unfolded was another back and forth set between the two teams.  

Bronco players like Zoey Mendez, Harper Lobe, Rose and Catherine Fedie were doing their best to keep the team ahead of the Warriors. However, momentum seemed to shift in favor of ACH, which built a 21-17 lead. 

From there, the Broncos battled back to tie the game 21-21. Both teams were trading scores and leads before the Warriors tied the set 24-24 – needing a two-point lead to secure the set win for either team.  

The set fell into a tug-of-war between the two teams. First the Broncos took a 25-24 lead before ACH scored two straight to take a 26-25 lead. Capitalizing on a couple Warriors’ serving errors, the Broncos score three straight to erase the deficit and seal the win 28-26 and win the game 3-1.  

Though the tight finish may have been exciting for the fans watching live, Galbreath felt this game revealed some of the Broncos weaknesses.  

“Just a lot of frustration and lack of attention to detail,” Galbreath said. “We all can see weaknesses that each player needs to fine tune. This type of game helps us see that and we got to keep refining, keep pushing in practice and being locked in our future matches. First set I felt like we did that, and then the second set we just got kind of complacent.” 

The Broncos return to the court Thursday when they host Newport at 6:45 p.m. The Warriors travel to Ephrata on Saturday to play in a day long tournament against 14 other schools.  

BOX SCORE: 

LRS: 25-23-25-28: 3 

ACH: 15-25-21-26: 1

    The ACH Warriors player Grace Okamoto (28) celebrates after her team scored a point against the Lind-Ritzville Broncos Tuesday.
  

    Zoey Mendez (5) hits the ball back to the Warriors during their competitive game on Tuesday.
  

    Dani Isaak (5) of the ACH Warriors sets the ball during a rally against the Lind-Ritzville Broncos Tuesday.