A home weekend full of tests had the Powell Panther volleyball team finishing with a 2-2 record at the 3A West conference duals on Friday and Saturday — dropping five-set contests against Lyman and Mountain View but defeating Pinedale and Lander in comfortable victories.

POWELL 3, PINEDALE 0

(25-14, 25-15, 25-21)

Starting out the weekend the No. 3-ranked Panthers (19-6 overall, 3-0 3A Northwest) squared off with the Wranglers (13-14-1 overall, 1-2 3A Southwest) for the third time this season.

Powell came out strong, earning a quick first set victory 25-14 and followed with a second set win 25-15.

A tighter third set made the match closer, but Powell finished with a 25-21 win to finish the sweep.

“We stepped out ready to go and played hard against Pinedale,” coach Lesli Spencer said. “I was really happy we didn’t have to go any further than three. Pinedale is a solid team, they have a strong dynamic and any given day they could take a team down.”

Addy Thorington led with 15 kills and tied for the aces lead with Catelynn Floy at four. Stevee Walsh led the Panthers with 13 assists and nine digs while Waycee Harvey had 1.5 blocks.

LYMAN 3, POWELL 2

(21-25, 25-16, 21-25, 25-18, 15-13)

A back and forth battle ensued in the second match of the day, when the Panthers squared off with the No. 4-ranked Eagles (20-8 overall, 2-1 3A Southwest).

Powell came out and carried the early momentum with a 25-21 first set victory, but Lyman answered with a 25-16 second set win to set up an important third set.

The Panthers won that with an identical scoreline to the first 25-21, before the Eagles won the fourth set 25-18 to force a decisive fifth set.

That fifth set went point for point, with Lyman escaping with a 15-13 win.

“I felt a little bit like we were playing tentatively against Lyman,” Spencer said. “After that game I told the girls, ‘we are going to see them again and we are going to get them the next time.’”

Thorington led again with 22 kills and three aces. Walsh had 21 assists just ahead of Floy who had 20 assists and tied for the block lead with Saige Kidd at two. Alexa Richardson finished with a team-high 17 digs.

MOUNTAIN VIEW 3, POWELL 2

(23-25, 25-16, 28-30, 25-19, 15-5)

Moving on to Saturday the Panthers met up with the No. 1-ranked team in the state and top team in the southwest in Mountain View (23-6-1 overall, 3-0 3A Southwest).

Powell again came out and won a tight first set 25-23, but dropped a difficult second set 25-16 to set up another important third set.

Mountain View had a shot at set point up 24-21, but Powell battled and forced the set further.

Each team had chances to win beyond 25 points before the Panthers earned a 30-28 victory.

The Buffalos jumped out early in the fourth and fifth sets to earn 25-19 and 15-5 wins to take the match 3-2.

“I am still looking at the positives, we’ve learned that we can play with them. We’ve learned that we can beat them,” Spencer said. “We were a little weak on our right side blocking so we are really going to work on that the next 3-4 weeks.”

Thorington had 27 kills, Walsh had 20 assists, Richardson led with 15 digs and two aces while Harvey had two blocks.

POWELL 3, LANDER 1

(25-18, 25-17, 24-26, 25-16)

Rounding out the weekend Powell came up against Lander (9-15 overall, 0-3 3A Southwest) for the third time this season, with a potential matchup against the Tigers previewing the regional tournament in two weeks.

Powell took the first two sets 25-18 and 25-17, before Lander survived with a third set win 26-24 to force a fourth set.

The Panthers controlled the final set to win 25-16 and end the weekend 2-2.

“It was a good, solid win,” Spencer said.

Thorington led with 18 kills and three aces, Walsh had 24 assists, Harvey had 14 digs and Kidd led with 2.5 blocks.

CHANCE TO LOCK UP TOP SEED

Powell will have a chance to lock up the top seed at the regional tournament this weekend, starting with a road contest at Thermopolis (7-15-2 overall, 0-3 3A Northwest) at 6 p.m. on Friday.

That will be followed by a home date against Worland (15-11 overall, 2-1 3A Northwest) on Saturday at noon, when the Panthers can lock up the No. 1 seed in the 3A Northwest with a win.

“Worland has changed their rotation a little bit. Their team cohesiveness is improving so we better be ready to play them on Saturday,” Spencer said. “We need two wins this week.” 

Rankings are courtesy of the WyoPreps Coaches and Media poll. New rankings are released each Thursday. 

POWELL 3, PINEDALE 0

(25-14, 25-15, 25-21)

Total blocks then solo blocks in ()

Kills — Addy Thorington 15, Saige Kidd 9, Waycee Harvey 8, Catelynn Floy 4, Kodee Asay 2, Stevee Walsh 1

Assists — Stevee Walsh 13, Catelynn Floy 12, Waycee Harvey 2, Addy Thorington 2, Alexa Richardson 1, Kodee Asay 1

Digs — Stevee Walsh 9, Waycee Harvey 8, Addy Thorington 8, Catelynn Floy 6, Alexa Richardson 5, Haylee Akin 1, Saige Kidd 1, Maci Borders 1

Blocks — Waycee Harvey 1.5 (1), Saige Kidd 1, Catelynn Floy 1 (1), Kodee Asay 1, Addy Thorington .5

Aces — Catelynn Floy 4, Addy Thorington 4, Stevee Walsh 2, Saige Kidd 2, Waycee Harvey 1

LYMAN 3, POWELL 2

(21-25, 25-16, 21-25, 25-18, 15-13)

Kills — Addy Thorington 22, Waycee Harvey 15, Saige Kidd 12, Catelynn Floy 5

Assists — Stevee Walsh 21, Catelynn Floy 20, Saige Kidd 2, Kodee Asay 2, Alexa Richardson 1, Addy Thorington 1

Digs — Alexa Richardson 17, Addy Thorington 16, Waycee Harvey 12, Stevee Walsh 7, Catelynn Floy 6, Saige Kid 3, Haylee Akin 1, Maci Borders 1

Blocks — Saige Kidd 2, Catelynn Floy 2 (1), Kodee Asay 1, Addy Thorington 1, Waycee Harvey .5, Maci Borders .5

Aces — Addy Thorington 3, Alexa Richardson 2, Catelynn Floy 2

MOUNTAIN VIEW 3, POWELL 2

(23-25, 25-16, 28-30, 25-19, 15-5)

Kills — Addy Thorington 27, Waycee Harvey 7, Catelynn Floy 7, Saige Kidd 6, Stevee Walsh 2, Alexa Richardson 1, Maci Borders 1

Assists — Stevee Walsh 20, Catelynn Floy 16, Haylee Akin 2, Alexa Richardson 2, Addy Thorington 2, Maci Borders 1

Digs — Alexa Richardson 15, Catelynn Floy 11, Addy Thorington 8, Waycee Harvey 6, Stevee Walsh 5, Saige Kidd 2, Maci Borders 1, Kodee Asay 1

Blocks — Waycee Harvey 2 (2), Saige Kidd 1, Catelynn Floy 1 (1), Kodee Asay 1 (1)

Aces — Alexa Richardson 2, Waycee Harvey 1, Addy Thorington 1

POWELL 3, LANDER 1

(25-18, 25-17, 24-26, 25-16)

Kills — Addy Thorington 18, Saige Kidd 11, Waycee Harvey 10, Catelynn Floy 10, Kodee Asay 3

Assists — Stevee Walsh 24, Catelynn Floy 17, Alexa Richardson 2, Addy Thorington 2, Waycee Harvey 1

Digs — Waycee Harvey 14, Alexa Richardson 11, Addy Thorington 9, Catelynn Floy 8, Stevee Walsh 6, Saige Kidd 5, Kenzie Fields 2

Blocks — Saige Kidd 2.5, Kodee Asay 2.5 (1), Waycee Harvey 1.5 (1), Addy Thorington 1, Catelynn Floy .5

Aces — Addy Thorington 3, Saige Kidd 2, Alexa Richardson 2, Catelynn Floy 1