PINEDALE – The Rawlins Lady Outlaws briefly overtook the Pinedale Lady Wranglers near the end of the first set during the Oct. 1 game at the Wrangler Gym.

Pinedale won the first two sets by a wide margin and led for a majority of the third set. The Lady Outlaws managed to catch up with the Lady Wranglers and tie the game at 24 points.

Pinedale senior McKenzie Illoway slammed over a powerful serve. Rawlins responded and hit the ball out of bounds.

Illoway served again. Rawlins returned the ball. Senior Haylen Sandner and sophomore Mae McGuire waited to defend the net. McGuire reached up and blocked Rawlins’ hit to score game point, 26-24.

The Lady Wranglers’ 3-0 Homecoming victory over Rawlins boosted morale following a tough 3-1 loss to the 1A Cokeville Lady Panthers on Thursday, Sept. 29.

Cokeville is currently riding at the top of the 1A Southwest Conference with an undefeated conference record. The Lady Panthers were the 2021 State Championship runner-ups.

Thursday’s game proved close. Cokeville won the first set by only two points. Pinedale rallied to win the second set. The Lady Panthers pulled out the hard hitters and dominated the third and fourth set.

Undeterred by the loss, the Lady Wranglers rallied and returned to the Wrangler Gym on Saturday determined not to yield the home court.

Cokeville

Pinedale scored the first points. The Lady Panthers met the net returning a serve by senior Mikayla Drake. Sandner blocked Cokeville’s next attempt to score.

The Lady Panthers tied the set at point 4 before Sandner delivered a kill, assisted by junior Reagan Davis. Illoway stepped up for a kill and junior Ana Mika scored a pair of points.

Cokeville regained the lead following point 11 and the Lady Wranglers battled to close the deficit.

Sandner spiked two points, both assisted by Davis. The Lady Panthers failed to return a serve by sophomore Gabby Rogers and struck out responding to a hit by Illoway.

Mika made a block. Junior Trista Covill and McGuire each slammed over a kill. Cokeville served into the net. Illoway aced her serve and McGuire scored, closing Cokeville’s lead to a single point.

The Lady Panthers then pulled ahead to win the set, 25-23.

Pinedale answered back in the second set. Sandner whipped up a pair of kills, assisted by Davis. Sandner made a block and tipped over another point. Cokeville met the net returning a serve by Sandner.

Davis hit over a point with Rogers and Covill providing good coverage. Davis served up points 10 and 12. Cokeville struck out responding to a spike by Covill. McGuire defended the net and senior Toree Andersen aced a serve. Illoway made a block and Andersen served another point.

Davis tipped over point 20. McGuire spiked a point, assisted by Davis. Sandner scored point 22 with a tip.

Freshman Alyxis White aced a serve and Sandner followed up with a block for game point, 25-14.

Cokeville rallied in the third set for a 25-17 win and maintained its momentum to win the fourth set, 25-17.

Rawlins

The Lady Outlaws briefly tied the first set at four points. Sandner tipped the ball over, assisted by senior Sara Kunard. Rawlins failed to return a hit by Covill and the Lady Outlaws struck out on two serves by Davis.

Illoway defended the net. Mika slammed over a kill, assisted by Davis. Andersen aced a serve and Rawlins overshot the ball responding to a hit by Mika.

Illoway served up a point and Sandner tipped the ball over the net, assisted by Davis. Sandner made a block and aced a serve. Illoway delivered a kill following good coverage in the backcourt by Kunard and Drake. Covill and McGuire each spiked a point.

Rawlins missed its serve and Pinedale scored game point, 25-16.

Pinedale took control of the second set. Davis set over a point. Drake served up three points. Rawlins failed to return a hit by Covill. Davis aced a serve and Covill and Illoway defended the net. McGuire spiked a point, assisted by Andersen. Mika tipped the ball over and Illoway scored an ace. McGuire pumped over a kill off a set by Davis.

Rogers scored while serving and White aced a point. Rawlins served into the net. Rogers made a dig and Drake bumped the ball over the net. Covill and Illoway blocked the ball and scored game point, 25-13.

Pinedale took the initiative early in the third set. Sandner delivered a kill and Rogers made a dig. Illoway spiked a point and Kunard aced two serves. Sandner tipped over a pair of points and made a kill. Kunard served up another point. Covill powered over a hit, assisted by Illoway.

Mika and Sandner defended the net. Sandner pulled out a kill before Rawlins tied the set at 19 points. The Lady Outlaws served out, allowing Pinedale to pull ahead. Tips by Davis and Illoway broke the stalemate at 22 and 23 points.

Rawlins struck out on its next serve and overshot the ball responding to a serve from Illoway. McGuire reached up for a block and game point, 26-24.

Competition intensifies as the Lady Wranglers travel to Lander for the 3A West Conference Duels on Oct. 7-8.