TORRINGTON – The Torrington High School Lady Blazers volleyball team put up a fight against both the Scottsbluff Lady Bearcats and the Wheatland Lady Bulldogs in a pair of home matches on September 20-21.

Torrington squared off against Scottsbluff on Thursday evening and while the Lady Bearcats ultimately won, 3-0, each of the three sets were point-for-point battles. 

The Lady Blazers and Lady Bulldogs entered Friday’s match as the two top-ranked teams in the 3A Southeast Conference. Wheatland won the match, 3-0, although the Lady Blazers gave Wheatland a run for its money, especially in the second and third sets, with the Lady Bulldogs winning by only a handful of points.

Scottsbluff

The close first set between the Lady Blazers and Lady Bearcats tied multiple times. Torrington closed an early lead by Scottsbluff to tie the set, 6-6, following a kill by junior Trishell Pontarolo.

The set reached a deadlock at nine when Scottsbluff hit the ball into the net returning a spike by junior Brooklyn Asmus. Sophomore Zoe Wilson and Asmus reached up for a block, resulting in a stalemate at nine.

A block by Pontarolo and senior Olive Osmera tied the set again at 11. Osmera powered over a kill and Pontarolo blocked the ball, placing Torrington ahead, 14-12.

Scottsbluff matched Torrington in scoring at 14 before a serving error by Scottsbluff pulled the Lady Blazers up, 15-14. 

Torrington remained ahead with kills by senior Jaycee Hurley, Osmera and Wilson and another block from Pontarolo. Scottsbluff responded with three points to tie the set at 20. 

A kill by Osmera resulted in  deadlock at 21 before Scottsbluff regained the lead to score game point, 25-22.

The Lady Blazers and Lady Bearcats fought point for point early in the second set. Torrington tied the set at seven and eight with kills by Pontarolo and Asmus, respectively.

Scottsbluff took control at nine and maintained the lead for the remainder of the set, although Torrington trailed by only two or three points. Scottsbluff widened its lead late in the set to score game point, 25-17.

The Lady Bearcats established a five-point lead, 12-7, midway into the third set. The Lady Blazers responded with an ace by Asmus and a trio of kills from Osmera. A kill by Wilson tied the set, 14-14. 

Scottsbluff pulled ahead, 17-16, before the set reached a deadlock at 18 following a block by Pontarolo and senior Teryn Stokes. Scottsbluff tied the set at 23 and scored two points to win, 25-23.

Osmera and Wilson set the pace offensively for the Lady Blazers versus Scottsbluff with six kills apiece. Asmus aced on serve while Osmera, Wilson and Pontarolo each contributed two blocks.

Hurley played libero and totaled 18 digs. Junior Natalie Long served as Torrington’s setter and delivered 13 assists.

Wheatland

The Lady Blazers found their footing in the second set following a 25-15 loss in the first.

Torrington pulled up early in the second set, 12-4, with kills by Asmus and Pontarolo and a pair of aces by Osmera.

Wheatland responded with a five-point run to narrow Torrington’s lead, 12-9. Torrington scored a few points before the Lady Bulldogs tied the set at 13. 

A service error by Wheatland returned the lead to the Lady Blazers, 14-13. An ace by Long widened Torrington’s lead, 17-13. 

The back-and-forth continued, and the second set reached another stalemate at 21 with kills by Osmera, Pontarolo and Asmus. 

Wheatland regained the lead, 22-21 and went on to score game point, 25-23, despite kills from Pontarolo and Asmus.

Torrington controlled the scoreboard early in the third set, pulling ahead, 7-5, with an ace by Stokes and kill from Asmus.

Wheatland retook the lead, 9-8, before Wilson responded with two kills to pull Torrington up, 10-9. 

Wheatland ended a stalemate at 11 and widened its lead, 17-11. Torrington responded with kills by Pontarolo, Wilson and Long to whittle Wheatland’s lead to only two points, 22-20 before Wheatland scored game point, 25-21.

Wilson and Pontarolo led Torrington in kills against Wheatland with eight apiece. Osmera and Pontarolo both aced two serves.

Hurley covered the floor for the Lady Blazers with 28 digs while Long contributed 20 assists.