Ladies using matches as learning experience

The Whitehall High School volleyball team has wrapped up their regular season and will have over a week to get ready for the postseason.

The Lady Trojans will next play October 27 and 28 at the 5B District Tournament at the Belgrade Events Center.

According to head coach Lauren McDonald, the bracket will be released later this week.

Whitehall ended their regular season Tuesday, October 17 with a three set home loss (25-12, 25-11, 25-11) to Three Forks. Playing in her last game at home, senior Alexys Mercer had a huge night for the Lady Trojans with 13 blocks.

Whitehall fell in two games last week, the first on Tuesday at a special "Think Pink" match against Big Timber. The Lady Trojans played some great volleyball in their opening set against Big Timber before eventually falling 25-23. The Lady Herders would take control in the second and third sets (25-11, 25-7) to take the road victory at a special "Pink Out" night at Varsity Gym.

Sophomores Morgan Benner and Hannah Tebay each had seven digs for the Lady Trojans. Junior Dorothy Mastel added five digs and team high five kills. Tebay had a team high six assists. Mastel and Tebay each had two aces.

Whitehall lost on the road in three sets Thursday to Jefferson, 25-12, 25-11, 25-9.

Mastel had ten digs, Benner had 11 digs, Ashlynn Ellison had seven digs, Meagan Johnson had six digs and Kendra Klapan had five digs.

McDonald said that with the Jefferson game, and the teams game in general is that the varsity girls don't get the opportunity to practice against a better team.

"Any time you can practice/play against a team of a higher caliber, you'll make improvements and learn things. Unfortunately, all of that kind of practice for us comes at game time. We've been focusing on using this time as learning opportunities. Our girls are continuously improving after each and every game and they're really trying to maintain a strong, athletic mindset throughout," she said.

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