MOUNTAIN VIEW – The battle for control of the 3A Southwest Quadrant between the Pinedale High School Lady Wrangler volleyball team and its rivals from the Bridger Valley continued unabated with a showdown between Pinedale and Mountain View on Friday, Oct. 13.

While the Lady Wranglers ultimately came up short, 3-0, the final score did not reflect a concerted and gritty effort by Pinedale to close the gap in each set.

Mountain View won the first set, 25-17. The Lady Buffaloes went on two scoring runs early in the set to establish a lead.

Rallying, the Lady Wranglers fought back as the set progressed. Junior Gabby Rogers served up a pair of aces. Sophomore Alyxis White followed up with two kills and a block. Senior Trista Covill and junior Mae McGuire delivered a kill apiece before Mountain View widened its lead.

The lead frequently changed hands in a tight second set. Kills by White, Rogers and senior Ana Mika kept Pinedale ahead through point 4. Mountain View sent a serve into the net and Covill reached up for a block.

White tied the second set up at 9 points with a block. Mountain View edged ahead to maintain the lead, though Pinedale hounded the Lady Buffaloes for each point.

White and Covill powered over a kill apiece. Junior Madeline Hawke made several blocks. White aced a serve and Mika slammed a kill into Mountain View territory.

The third set turned into a cliffhanger as the Lady Wranglers fought tooth and nail to overtake Mountain View.

McGuire posted points for Pinedale with a pair of blocks. Mountain View failed to return a serve by Mika. McGuire powered over a kill. The Lady Buffaloes struck out returning a hit by senior Reagan Davis and Pinedale took the lead, 6-5.

Mountain View served the ball into the net and then sent it out of bounds. Covill and Davis both leapt up for a block and tied the set, 11-11. An ace from Mika placed the Lady Wranglers ahead, 12-11.

Covill ended a stalemate at 13 points with a kill and White broke another tie at 15 points by spiking over a kill. Mountain View then edged into the lead, although Pinedale came within a point of overtaking the Lady Buffaloes late in the third set a with block each by Covill and McGuire.

The Lady Wranglers host Lander for Senior Night on Thursday, Oct. 19. Game times are 4 p.m. for freshmen, 5 p.m. for junior varsity and 6 p.m. for varsity.