CASPER – The Big Piney High School Lady Puncher volleyball team played with heart at the 3A State Tournament in Casper on Nov. 2-4 and gave both Big Horn and Rocky Mountain a run for its money.

The tournament opened with Big Piney taking on the Big Horn Lady Rams, the No. 1 seed from the 2A East Conference, on Thursday afternoon.

While Big Horn ultimately won, 3-0, the Lady Punchers, particularly a determined Big Piney defense, put up a tenacious fight against the top-ranked team that would go on to win the state championship.

Moving into the consolation bracket, the Lady Punchers squared off against Rocky Mountain on Friday, Nov. 3.

Rocky Mountain won the first two sets, although the first set came down to the wire. Refusing to throw in the towel, Big Piney rallied in the third set and battled Rocky Mountain point for point, tying the set multiple times. Rocky Mountain eventually scored game point, though only by a narrow margin, to post a 3-0 win.

“I’m beyond proud that these ladies fought so hard to get to State,” said Head Coach Kinsy Voss. “We are a young team and to get that exposure for them at State will benefit us greatly next year.”

The Lady Punchers put in a solid performance against two tough opponents at State, Voss said.

“We did a great job against Big Horn,” Voss continued. “We showed up, worked hard and played a great defensive game. Against Rocky Mountain, we played a bit more reserved and that eventually hurt us in the end. But I cannot express how amazing this team is and how proud I am to be their coach.”

The Lady Punchers deserve to hold their heads high for making a statement in their conference over the course of the 2023 season. Big Piney tallied four conference victories and eight wins overall.

The Lady Punchers defeated all three of their rivals in the 2A Southwest Quadrant at least once. Highlights included triumphs against Wyoming Indian High School and St. Stephens on Homecoming Weekend, Sept. 15 and 16.

Big Piney demonstrated its grit when it made an epic comeback to defeat Kemmerer at the 2A Regional Tournament in Riverton on Oct. 28.

“We started seeing progress this season in the team at the Pinedale game (Sept. 12),” said Coach Voss. “We made some changes and got the dynamics going. Even though this team is a young one, they were one of the most mentally mature teams that I have ever coached. I knew that they would never give up, they would keep fighting and keep going one point at a time until the game was done.”

Big Horn

The Lady Punchers took the lead early in the first set with a block from sophomore Kodee Greene and a kill by junior Micah Strong.

Big Horn edged ahead, although Big Piney kept the Lady Rams’ lead to only a few points with blocks from Strong and junior Addison Losik. Strong and freshman Jada Banks both powered over kills. Greene rounded the first set out with two blocks before Big Horn scored game point, 25-18.

Big Horn opened the second set ahead. Undaunted, the Lady Punchers closed the gap with a kill by Greene, serves by Banks and a block from Losik and Strong.

Big Piney tied the set at 9 points following a kill from Losik.

The Lady Rams pulled ahead again, though Big Piney fought to close the gap. Losik and Greene both made blocks. Strong and sophomore Kaity Shreve each set a point over before Big Horn scored game point, 25-18.

Big Piney matched Big Horn in scoring through the first half of the third set. Kills from Greene, Losik and Banks resulted in a deadlock at 6 points. Big Horn served the ball out of bounds and the Lady Punchers tied the set at 8 points.

Shreve, Strong, sophomore Lizzy Brandt and junior Kendra Willoughby provided good coverage with deep digs throughout the third set.

Rocky Mountain

The lead switched hands numerous times at the beginning of the first set. Big Piney tied the set at 3 points following a kill by Willoughby and a block from Greene.

Strong tipped over a point for the Lady Punchers to move into the lead at 6 points. Losik reached up for a block and Big Piney briefly regained the initiative at 7 points.

Rocky Mountain edged up and widened its lead, though the Lady Punchers made a sustained effort to close the gap with kills by Greene, Losik and sophomore Brylie Bailey.

Big Piney closed the deficit to 3 points when Rocky Mountain struck out returning a serve by junior Charleigh Smith.

Rocky Mountain established a lead early in the second set and maintained it through game point, 25-12.

Regrouping in the third set, the Lady Punchers battled tooth and nail for each point.

Big Piney controlled the scoreboard for the first portion of the set. Shreve set over a point, Greene powered up a kill and Shreve made a block. Strong delivered a powerful kill before Rocky Mountain moved into the lead by a single point.

Shreve bumped the ball over the net to place Big Piney back ahead, 7-6. Losik and Bailey responded to points from Rocky Mountain with a block and kill, respectively.

A block by Losik and Bailey pulled Big Piney up by a point, 10-9. The Lady Punchers then maintained the lead with a kill from Banks and serves by Strong and Brandt.

Rocky Mountain matched Big Piney in scoring at 13 points. Greene slammed over a pair of kills and the set reached a stalemate at 16 points. Big Piney remained ahead with a block by Greene and serve from Banks.