{gallery}10_20_09/volleyball102009{/gallery}Lady Panther Olivia Rogers blocks a hit by Worland's Morgan Cross with some support from teammate Kami Cooley. Tribune photo by Don Amend Lady Panthers prep for tourney with a pair of sweeps Saturday It was an orange-and-black week on the Powell High School volleyball court last week as the Powell Lady Panthers took on orange and black-clad teams in Worland and Jackson and finished their season with a pair of sweeps.The defending conference champions ended their Northwest Conference season Thursday with a 25-14, 25-13, 25-19 conquest of Worland and dominated Southwest foe Jackson, 25-8, 25-8, 25-13, to close their regular season on a winning note.

The unpredictable Worland Lady Warriors opened the match with a series of strong serves that scored four points before a Hannah Pollart kill stopped the run. Powell tied the match, but fell behind again 9-5 coming back to take a two-point lead, 14-12. Powell allowed the Lady Warriors only two more points while scoring eight themselves behind the serving of Kayla Ando and Pollart. An ace by Pollart put the Lady Panthers ahead 24-14, and a Savannah Donarski block scored game point to put Powell up 1-0.

In the second set, Powell took the early lead and never looked back, running the score to 14-3 before the Lady Warriors were able to score off their own serve. Worland tried to come back, but the Lady Panthers kept the pressure on and Lady Warriors could only close the gap to six points at 18-13 before giving up the serve. Kami Cooley stepped to the service line with the score 19-13 and served the last six points. Donarski scored a kill to put the set at game point, and combined with Randi Asay on a block that bounced off a Lady Warrior and out of bounds to give Powell a 2-0 lead.

Worland mounted a serious challenge in game three, building a 10-5 lead early before a block by Worland popped close to the net and Olivia Rogers killed it to start a nine-point run that put Powell up 14-10. A Worland block stopped the run and the Lady Warriors came back to retake the lead 15-14. With the score tied at 16, Rogers took over the serve and the Panthers scored five straight points before giving up a side-out. After another kill by Donarski, she teamed with Kayla Ando for a block to give Powell a 23-17 lead. Worland earned two more side outs, but kills by Donarski and Pollart ended the match.

Following the match, Coach Cindi Smith noted her team's “great balance on the court,” with all six starters accounting for points.

“We knew we had the conference championship, but they didn't let up,” Smith said.

Against Jackson, the Lady Panthers took charge early with runs of four, three and seven points to take a 14-3 lead before Jackson was able to score a point off their serve. Strong net play by Pollart, Rogers, Cooley, Donarski and Asay all contributed kills and Ando assisted Rogers on a block during the run, and the Panthers coasted to a 1-0 match lead.

In game two, Jackson took an early 3-1 lead, but the Lady Panthersquickly came back with a 13-4 run fueled by two consecutive aces by Pollart, and built a 17-7 lead. Two four-point runs ended the set. Donarski tipped down a block that popped over the net and Cooley slammed down a kill to bring the score to 24, and an unforced Jackson error put the Lady Panthers up 2-0.

Powell looked to be heading for another 25-8 game, racing out to a 20-7 lead, but they had a little trouble putting away the match and the Lady Broncs traded points with Powell down the stretch. With the score 23-13, though, Donarski scored a kill and when reserve Liz Tilley served for game point, Jackson's return sailed out of bounds to end the match.

“It was nice to end our regular season with a solid win,” said Coach Cindi Smith. “We played well, with each player contributing to the success of the team.”

The win gives the Lady Panthers a perfect record in regulation matches for the year and their third straight sweep of the northwest conference. They will enter the regional tournament as the top seed from the north.

But Smith indicated that the Lady Panthers are still working to improve their game, and will be practicing hard this week.

“We will continue to prepare for the next part of our season, focusing on improving and fine tuning areas that will make us a stronger team,” Smith said.

Powell will play their first match at the regional tournament at noon Friday at Worland High School.

Smith said she believes the first-round opponent will be Lyman, but that had not been confirmed Monday morning.