Saratoga was a great test for us going into regionals. Southeast did a great job battling through five sets in a competitive game that pushed us physically and mentally. I feel like we played consistently, especially in the fourth and fifth sets.”

Coach Monica Anderson

Up Next

The Lady Cyclones board the bus to play cross-county rival Lingle-Fort Laramie on Thursday, October 24 at 7 p.m. Southeast travels to play Pine Bluffs on Friday at 4 p.m. Southeast hosts Niobrara County for senior recognition on Saturday at 3 p.m.

SARATOGA – The Southeast High School Lady Cyclones proved once again they possess the endurance, grit and skill to succeed against any opponent in a heated, five-set battle with a 3-2 victory against conference rival Saratoga on the road on October 18.

The Lady Cyclones notched their seventh conference victory on Friday and remain undefeated in the 1A Southeast Quadrant with one week of the regular season remaining.

“Saratoga was a great test for us going into regionals,” coach Monica Anderson said. “Southeast did a great job battling through five sets in a competitive game that pushed us physically and mentally. I feel like we played consistently, especially in the fourth and fifth sets. We took our foot off the gas a bit in the second and third sets but were locked in and focused on playing our game for the entire fourth and fifth sets. We passed the ball and kept attacking.”

Southeast travels to play Lingle-Fort Laramie on Thursday, followed by an away game against Pine Bluffs on Friday and a home game versus Niobrara County on Saturday. The last week of the regular season provides an opportunity for Southeast to “fine tune,” particularly on defense, Anderson added.

Five neck-and-neck sets

The lead changed hands frequently in the first set between Southeast and Saratoga. The Lady Cyclones pulled ahead, 5-3, with kills by junior Hadley Leithead and senior Brooklyn Leithead.

Saratoga matched Southeast in scoring at five before pulling ahead, 8-6. 

The set reached a stalemate at eight when sophomore Brylie Booth reached up for a block. A kill from Booth resulted in another stalemate at 10.

Saratoga then took control of the scoreboard at 11 and widened its lead, 14-10. 

Southeast battled back with kills by Hadley Leithead and seniors Anna Hartman and Angie Logsdon. Saratoga sent the ball out of bounds returning a hit by junior Keana Llewellyn and the set deadlocked at 16.

Southeast regained the lead, 18-17, with blocks from Hadley Leithead, Brooklyn Leithead and Booth. Hadley Leithead defended the net with a block and Booth powered over a pair of kills, resulting in game point, 25-22.

Saratoga controlled the scoreboard in the second set through game point, 25-23, although the Lady Cyclones frequently narrowed the gap to one or two points.

Brooklyn Leithead, Logsdon, Hadley Leithead, Booth, junior libero Taylor Tregemba and sophomore Bailey Mehling each contributed kills against Saratoga in the second set.

Logsdon scored the opening point in the third set with a kill and Southeast steadily widened its lead with kills from Hadley Leithead, Booth, Logsdon, Hartman and Llewellyn. Hartman aced a serve while Hartman and Booth both defended the net with blocks.

A six-point run by Saratoga tied the set at 24. The Lady Panthers took the lead at 25 before a kill from Mehling tied the set again at 25. The Lady Cyclones regained the lead, 26-25, with a kill from Brooklyn Leithead before Saratoga pulled up with game point, 28-26.

Digging deep in the fourth set, Southeast turned the tables and dominated the court from the beginning of the set through game point. 

Southeast took control of the scoreboard at two with a service error by Saratoga. The Lady Cyclones found themselves ahead, 6-3, following blocks by Hadley Leithead, Llewellyn and Booth and a kill by Hadley Leithead.

Southeast remained up as Hartman slammed over a pair of kills and Brooklyn Leithead and Hartman blocked the ball.

A four-point run by the Lady Cyclones widened Southeast’s lead, 15-9, with kills from Logsdon, Brooklyn Leithead and Hadley Leithead and an ace by Logsdon.

Hadley Leithead tallied two more kills and aced a serve while Booth spiked two kills over the net. A kill by Logsdon took the Lady Cyclones to 23. Saratoga sent the ball into the net on a serve by Llewellyn, resulting in game point, 25-13.

The Lady Cyclones left it all on the court in the fifth set. Logsdon scored the opening point with a kill. Southeast then went on a four-point run consisting of a pair of kills by Brooklyn Leithead, and ace from Logsdon and a block by Hadley Leithead.

The Lady Cyclones reached seven with a kill by Hadley Leithead, followed by a block from Booth.

Booth slammed over a kill and Southeast widened its lead, 11-5. A pair of kills by Logsdon pulled the Lady Cyclones up, 13-6. Southeast reached 14 on a kill from Brooklyn Leithead.

Hadley Leithead scored game point, 15-7, with a kill, assisted by Llewellyn with Tregemba serving.