The Bear Lake volleyball team demonstrated resilience during the Border Wars Volleyball Tournament in Evanston, Wyoming, on Labor Day weekend. The team concluded the tournament with a 9-2 season record after facing various challenges.
The tournament presented several difficulties for the Bears, including two key players sidelined by recent ankle injuries and a setter who became ill on Saturday. To address these gaps, several JV players stepped into larger roles. Head Coach Angie Hunter noted that the weekend provided an opportunity to learn how to respond when plans change, stating the team showed they could work through adversity.
Bear Lake's matches on Friday began with a loss to Mountain View, Wyoming, which won the deciding set 15-12 after losing the first set 25-21. The Bears also fell to Kelly Walsh of Casper, Wyoming, in sets of 26-24 and 25-21. However, they bounced back by defeating Powell, Wyoming, in sets of 25-20, 25-14, and 15-5.
On Friday night, Bear Lake participated in one of Wyoming's first-ever outdoor volleyball matches, playing under the lights on Evanston's football field. Despite concerns regarding wind and the lack of walls or a ceiling, the Bears defeated Evanston in two sets. Coach Hunter expressed pride in the team's performance during this historic event.
The team continued their momentum into Saturday by defeating Green River 25-22 and 25-20, and Lyman 25-8 and 25-8. They also secured a victory over Juan Diego Catholic of Draper, Utah, with set scores of 25-16 and 25-6. The tournament concluded with a win by forfeit over East of Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Following the tournament, Bear Lake is scheduled to travel to Shelley on September 9. The team will then return home to host West Side on September 12.
