Girls uninterrupted

The Encampment Tigers girls’ volleyball team returned home from the Kaycee Invitational having extended their winning streak to 21-0 overall after playing six matches in the tournament.

The team is the only team in the entire state of Wyoming with an undefeated overall record this season. The Tigers are ranked #1 in its conference with a 4-0 record. With State just over three weeks away, the team is focused on positive team dynamics and working together best as they can instead of their impressive win record, Robin O’Leary, the team’s coach, said.

The team was in danger of seeing it’s streak interrupted during Friday’s game against Farson when the team found itself down 17-11. The team managed to take control of the game and came back to defeat Farson 21-13, scoring ten points and holding their foes to only two.

“Mental toughness was a huge strength (for the team),” O’Leary said, “Farson is a really strong team so being able to come back from being behind with them only needing two points to win; that showed huge mental strength on our girls’ part.”

On Saturday’s game against Baggs, the team had 100 percent serving, which O’Leary said is particularly rare for any team. The Team went on to defeat Baggs handily, winning both sets in the match 21-12 and 21-7. Saratoga also fell to the Tigers on Saturday, getting swept 21-9 and 21-7, with the team delivering 12 blocks against the Panthers.

“They did really good this weekend,” O’Leary said. “First off in the morning, we start really slow, but they were determined the whole weekend, they just came out and focused on our team and they played really, really well together.”

Friday matches were also clean sweeps for the Lady Tigers of Encampment. The team defeated Meeteetse 21-7 both sets, knocked down Hulett 21-11 and 21-10 and Rock River fell to the Tigers with a score of 21-11 in both sets of the match.

With only four games left in the season before With only four games left in the season before the regional tournament Oct. 28-29 in Lander and State in Casper Nov. 3-5, O’Leary said the team is not letting up in training. “We are still working on serving and defense, and we’re going to focus in on which hitters are being more successful.”

Even though the team tries to focus on being the best team they can–and not their impressive streak of wins, O’Leary said the team members are happy with where they are and how they have done. The team is feeling good about their performance this year and is looking forward to the remainder of the season, O’Leary said.

“They feel good about where they stand, they feel good about relationships within the team,” O’Leary said. “I personally don’t want it (the season) to end.”

The Tigers next host North Park Oct. 13, then go on the road to Baggs Oct. 14. The team will have a rematch away match against Farson-Eden Oct. 21 and returns home to host Saratoga in the last non-tournament game of the season Oct. 22.