by Logan Gilman

The gym was packed, and the air was hot on the final home game of many Mustang volleyball players’ careers. On Oct. 15, the PCM Mustang volleyball team found themselves ahead 2-0 against conference rival Roland-Story on Senior Night. The team was rolling into the third set, when things began to fall apart for the hometown Mustangs, as they lost three straight sets and lost the game 3-2.
The girls came out fired up in front of a large crowd and won the first set 25-22. The squad kept that momentum going into the second set and pulled off a 25-22 victory. With their back to the wall, the Norse rallied. Roland-Story dominated the third set, winning 25-16. The visitors didn’t look back from there. Roland-Story kept the pressure on the Mustangs and won the final two sets by scores of 25-12 and 15-7, crushing the Mustangs’ hope of a Senior Night upset.
Senior Ashley Van Gorp came to play for her last home game as a Mustang, as she led the team in serve efficiency, going 17-18. Van Gorp also led the team in digs with 13. Junior Katie Vande Wall led the team with 10 kills, while fellow classmate Kayla Jennings led the way with four blocks and 33 assists.
Seniors who were playing their final home game included Kendal Earley, Ashley Van Gorp, Payton Pool, Jami Smith, Abby Van Haaften, Karina Van Dyke, Brianna Killins and Whitnee Gallaher.
Van Dyke said, “We were a bit disappointed by the loss, but we really contested with a good team and played out every point until the end.”