Lady Bulldogs win Class 3A West Regionals

Lovell defeated Powell in four sets to win the Class 3A West Regional Volleyball championship after opening tournament play Friday, Oct. 30.

“I believe our kids have changed 3A volleyball into a competitive fast game with their offense,” coach Tera Kostelecky said.

Lovell opened the tournament with a 25-13, 25-14, 25-10 sweep of Rawlins.

The Bulldogs then swept tournament host Worland 25-11, 25-18, 25-20 to clinch a berth in the state tournament. Worland kept the final two sets closer after Lovell won the opener by 14 points.

In the championship match, Lovell overcame an early deficit to win the first set against Powell 25-13. The Lady Panthers took the second set 25-22, but the Lady Bulldogs responded with a 25-23 victory in the third. Lovell returned to its signature offense, including a double-spike fake, and won the fourth set 25-21 to secure the regional title. Once again, the Lady Bulldogs proved that “cats are cool but dogs rule.”

“We aren’t done yet, and we aren’t settling with the regional trophy. This group has much bigger plans,” Kostelecky said. “The last three years we have been doing things unheard of. The pressures are different this year with both an expectation and a target.”

Top-seeded Lovell will face fourth-seeded (East) Newcastle at 1 p.m. Thursday in the state tournament.

“This match is always tough as a lot of nerves come alive as they enter the state floor. It’s entirely different than what they have been playing on all year long. But these kids have faced certain challenges all year long in preparation for this moment that they will remember for a lifetime,” Kostelecky said.