Lady Tigers struggle at net

The Mountain Home Lady Tigers dropped a couple tough conference volleyball matches last week, both going the full five games.

Nampa 25, 20, 22, 25, 15

Mountain Home 15, 25, 25, 16, 11

The Lady Tigers hosted Nampa last Tuesday in Lloyd Schiller Gymnasium, a team they had beaten in four games in Nampa just five nights earlier.

It was not to be Tuesday night, however. Although the game went a full five games, the ladies from Nampa prevailed.

The visiting Lady Bulldogs came out strong in the first game and won 25-15. Mountain Home battled back from a 17-19 deficit in the second game to win 25-20, and also took game three, which went back and forth, 25-22.

Mountain Home overcame an early Nampa lead in game four, but had its last lead at 13-12, before the Lady Bulldogs outscored them 13-3 to win game four 25-16 and force a game five.

The fifth game was tied at 2-2, 3-3 and 6-6 before the Lady Tigers fell behind, 9-14. They had a mini rally, but Nampa prevailed, 15-11, to win the match three games to two.

"It's a tough loss," said Mountain Home volleyball coach Steve Mau after the match. " Nampa came to win tonight -- they wanted revenge for us beating them on their turf."

Ksyenya Peterson had 30 assists for the Lady Tigers. Selena Foster had 11 kills and Emma Wenger, nine kills.

Columbia 21, 25, 10, 25, 15

Mountain Home 25, 21, 25, 15, 8

After being on both sides of a 25-21 game in the first two games at Columbia last Thursday, the Mountain Home ladies played their best game of the night in the third game. They dominated the Lady Wildcats 25-10 and go up two games to one, but then dropped the fourth game, 15-25.

They were unable to get that third-game spark back and lost the fifth and deciding game 8-15, to lose the match three games to two.

Ksyenya Peterson had 29 assists for the match. Jacci Cristobal had seven kills and nine digs, Selena Foster had 12 kills and eight digs, Emma Wenger had six kills and Ashley Sessions had 10 digs.

"The girls played well, but just couldn't keep the fire through the fifth set again," said Coach Mau. "Lots of early intensity and good play that ended with a lot of hard kills by our girls. They played kind of flat in the fourth set and just couldn't get it back in the fifth."

The Lady Tigers were home against Middleton on Tuesday night and travel to Kuna on Thursday, Sept. 20.