Mission match shows Troy potential
Channel: Northwest Montana Now
Date: 2019-10-18

Facing off against Mission Saturday, The Troy High School volleyball team started strong, but fell hard in the final set, losing in three.
The first set was a tight battle to the end. The Trojans and Bulldogs traded off the lead repeatedly, and Mission never gaining more than a 4-point lead.
Troy senior Ella Pierce started things off with a kill, and fellow senior Mazzy Hermes served-up a series of volleys that put Troy in a 5-3 early lead.
The Trojans showed noticeable improvement over past performance, avoiding unforced errors and responding well to Mission’s hard-hitting kills.
The Bulldogs pulled into a 16-12 lead, but Troy battled on, taking a 19-18 lead through a series of hard-fought volleys that saw them making the kinds of plays they didn’t against Eureka the week before.
Troy senior Montana Rice closed in on the Bulldogs with an ace, making the score 24-23, Mission.
But a searing kill by Mission senior Olivia Garland ended the set in the Bulldogs’ favor.
The Trojans kept on the attack in the second set, with Pierce dropping a kill just inside the baseline to give Troy a 3-2 lead 
But Mission pushed out in front of Troy by nine points, despite some heroic moves by the Trojans. 
Mission slipped with an unforced error, and Troy sophomore Leah Clay took over serving, leading Troy on a 4-point rally to close the gap.
Pierce and fellow senior Katelynn Tallmadge pushed through the Mission response at the net, whittling down the Bulldogs’ lead to 20-19.
Troy Head Coach Jordan Graves said she was pleased with the attitude the Trojans showed in coming back during the second set.
Mission eventually pulled back ahead, winning the set 25-21, but not without some fierce resistance from Troy.
In the third set, things fell apart early for Troy.
Before the Trojans could score a single point, Mission ran up a 6-point lead with Bulldog senior Hunter Eichert serving.
After a time out, Tallmadge came back with a dig to put Troy on the board.
But, aside from a Mission unforced error, the Trojans wouldn’t score again until Rice tipped a kill over the net to make the score 3-16, Mission.
The Trojans still had some good volleys in the final set
But with momentum already so much against them, they seemed to struggle to maintain their composure and come back.
Troy ended the third set in a 25-11 loss to Mission, despite the promising start they had to the match.
The Trojans play next on Friday at Stillwater at 4 p.m., and Saturday at Arlee at 2:15 p.m.
They play again at home on Monday against Libby, with the first match at 5:30 p.m., and they play Tuesday at Eureka at 4 p.m.
Troy’s final home match will be against Thompson Falls on Thursday for senior night, with the first match at 4 p.m.