{gallery}}11_03_09/volleyball{/gallery} Powell High School's Hannah Pollart receives consolation from a teammate following the Panthers' emotional five-game loss to Wheatland in the 2009 3A state championship volleyball contest. Photo courtesy Colter BostickLady Panthers fall in five to Wheatland A heartbreaking loss to Wheatland ended the Powell Lady Panthers' quest for a second straight state volleyball title Saturday night.In a battle of two top teams and two groups of seniors hoping to go out winners, the Lady Panthers and Lady Bulldogs locked up in an epic battle that could have gone either way. In the end, momentum switched in favor of the Bulldogs and a repeat championship just escaped the Lady Panthers' grasp, 25-21, 29-27, 21-25, 24-26, 9-15.

Powell jumped out to a quick lead in game one, building a 16-10 lead and holding off a late Wheatland rally with kills by Savannah Donarski and Hannah Pollart to take a 25-21 win and a one-set lead in the match.

The Lady Bulldogs came back strong in the second set, taking an early lead and holding off Powell's attempts to close the gap.

But down 11-15, the Panthers started a rally and a 9-3 run ending with a service ace by Pollart put Powell up 20-18. The next four points went to Wheatland, though, and after an exchange of serves, the Lady Bulldogs were serving for game point, up 24-21.

The Panthers rallied, tying the score at 24 on a Pollart kill and taking a one-point lead with a hit by Olivia Rogers. Wheatland responded twice, but with the score tied at 27, Donarski again gave Powell the advantage and Kami Cooley hit the game winner to give the lady Panthers a 2-0 lead.

Powell looked to be in command in game three, opening up a 5-1 lead, but Wheatland responded with a rally that put them up 6-5. The teams battled on even terms, exchanging the lead throughout the match. Wheatland climbed from a 17-16 deficit to take a 20-17 lead, but Powell responded and took a 21-20 lead, four points from winning the match before a determined Wheatland team came through with five straight to stay alive with a 25-21 win.

Game four was more of the same, with the Lady Panthers taking a slim lead early and holding it through the early going.

Wheatland tied the score at 18, and the teams battled to a 24-24 tie before the Lady Bulldogs pulled out a 26-24 win.

Disaster struck the Lady Panthers early in the final game when a Wheatland streak put them ahead 9-2. Facing a seven-point deficit in a 15-point game, the Lady Panthers tried to come back, but could not close the gap and the match ended with a 15-9 Wheatland win.

To come so close and lose was heartbreaking, said Coach Cindi Smith.

“I knew they (Wheatland) weren't going to be an easy fight,” Smith said, “but I really thought we had them.”

In the end, though, volleyball is a game of momentum, and it turned against the Panthers, Smith said.

“It was the little things,” Smith said. “Close line calls, and a hit out of bounds that they ruled we tipped. Every little thing can be a momentum breaker.”

But Smith said the Lady Panthers did have their chances in both game three and game four to win the match.

The Lady Panthers had played their way into the semi-finals by dominating Buffalo 25-10, 25-19, 25-12, and then beat Cody, an upset winner over Rawlins in the first round in three games, 25-18, 25-22,25-17. Wheatland arrived in the game by virtue of sweeps over Pinedale and Mountain View.

Despite the loss, Smith said her team has nothing to be ashamed of.

“They've won three conference championships and three regional championships, and they have been in the finals twice,” she said. “They have a lot to be proud of.”

Five seniors, Pollart, Donarski, Cooley, Kayla Ando and Layla Bradley, played their last match for the Lady Panthers last week, and Smith said they have meant a lot to the program during their careers.

“They've pushed the game and the program to a great level,” Smith said. “It's been their dedication and drive that made us successful and they've brought a lot to our courts.”

Smith also gave credit to her team for the way they handled the loss.

“In the end, even when they lost, they pulled together,” Smith said. “That's what makes this team so special.”