For the third straight weekend, the Powell Lady Panthers competed in a major volleyball tournament. For the first time, they didn't come away winners.The Panthers were knocked off in the semi-finals of the Rawlins Invitational by Wheatland. The Lady Bulldogs went on to claim first place with a victory over the host Rawlins squad. Powell finished fourth after dropping a match with Mountain View.“We kind of had a flat weekend,” Coach Cindi Smith said. “We just never had much flow on the court. We were not moving well.”The Lady Panthers played well enough in pool play on Friday to earn the No. 1 seed from their pool, winning five of six games. They opened with a pair of wins over Torrington, 21-10, 21-14 before splitting with Glenrock, 21-16, 16-21. Their third match-up was with Worland, and the Lady Panthers won both games, 21-18, 21-10.Saturday started well with a 21-15 first-game win over Cody, but Cody came back to take the second set 21-15 before Powell put the match away 15-11 in the third game. The Lady Panthers started well in the semi-finals as well, taking Wheatland 21-15, but the Lady Bulldogs came back with a 21-19 win and clinched the match 10-15.Against Mountain View, the Lady Panthers “didn't respond the way we should,” Smith said, and they went down in two sets, losing 21-19, 21-15.Even in the one area the Lady Panthers did well, serving accuracy, things went wrong at key points. For the tournament the team served with 95 percent accuracy, but missed serves at two crucial points, once giving the opponent game point.The losses, the first for the Lady Panthers since just before homecoming week last September, were hard for the girls to take, Smith said, and she said they are determined to do better, even asking if they could practice on Sunday.“We were not the best we could be last weekend,” Smith said. “We know we have some things we can get better at. It's a good lesson for us.”This week, the Lady Panthers will have to contend with homecoming activities as well as two midweek matches, including their first conference match. On Tuesday night, they take on Greybull at home, and Cody visits the Panther gym on Thursday. Both matches are scheduled at 6:30, following freshman and JV matches.“We'll really have to buckle down and focus,” Smith said. “We'll have to balance fun with focus this week.”

For the third straight weekend, the Powell Lady Panthers competed in a major volleyball tournament. For the first time, they didn't come away winners.

The Panthers were knocked off in the semi-finals of the Rawlins Invitational by Wheatland. The Lady Bulldogs went on to claim first place with a victory over the host Rawlins squad. Powell finished fourth after dropping a match with Mountain View.

“We kind of had a flat weekend,” Coach Cindi Smith said. “We just never had much flow on the court. We were not moving well.”

The Lady Panthers played well enough in pool play on Friday to earn the No. 1 seed from their pool, winning five of six games. They opened with a pair of wins over Torrington, 21-10, 21-14 before splitting with Glenrock, 21-16, 16-21. Their third match-up was with Worland, and the Lady Panthers won both games, 21-18, 21-10.

Saturday started well with a 21-15 first-game win over Cody, but Cody came back to take the second set 21-15 before Powell put the match away 15-11 in the third game.

The Lady Panthers started well in the semi-finals as well, taking Wheatland 21-15, but the Lady Bulldogs came back with a 21-19 win and clinched the match 10-15.

Against Mountain View, the Lady Panthers “didn't respond the way we should,” Smith said, and they went down in two sets, losing 21-19, 21-15.

Even in the one area the Lady Panthers did well, serving accuracy, things went wrong at key points. For the tournament the team served with 95 percent accuracy, but missed serves at two crucial points, once giving the opponent game point.

The losses, the first for the Lady Panthers since just before homecoming week last September, were hard for the girls to take, Smith said, and she said they are determined to do better, even asking if they could practice on Sunday.

“We were not the best we could be last weekend,” Smith said. “We know we have some things we can get better at. It's a good lesson for us.”

This week, the Lady Panthers will have to contend with homecoming activities as well as two midweek matches, including their first conference match. On Tuesday night, they take on Greybull at home, and Cody visits the Panther gym on Thursday. Both matches are scheduled at 6:30, following freshman and JV matches.

“We'll really have to buckle down and focus,” Smith said. “We'll have to balance fun with focus this week.”