LINGLE – The Lingle-Fort Laramie High School volleyball team opened the weekend by knocking off the Class 2A defending state champion – the Burns Lady Broncs – on Homecoming.

On Friday, the Lady Doggers knocked off the Lady Broncs 3-1 (25-12, 26-24, 21-25, 25-20).

LFL fell behind early in the first three sets before storming back to win three set.

In the opening set, Burns scored the first two points of the set before the Lady Doggers limited the visitors to only 10 points the remainder of the set.

Lingle tied the set at three and took the lead on the ensuing point and never trailed again for the remainder of the set.

In the second set, the Lady Broncs scored the first four point, but a pair of ace serves by Brenly Shipp cut the Burns lead to 4-3.

Lingle tied the set at six, but it wasn’t until an attack error by Burns late in the set when the Lady Doggers took their first lead of the set.

The teams swapped the lead over the next several points. Burns led 24-22 when senior Natalie Speckner tallied multiple kills to help lift her team to a 2-0 match lead.

In the third set, Burns scored the first two points, but like the first sets, Lingle chipped away at the deficit. Shipp’s ace gave the Lady Doggers a 4-3 advantage, and it was a lead which the home team held on to until Burns took a 12-11 advantage. The Lady Broncs never trailed again for the remainder of the set.

The set win prevented a sweep, forcing a fourth set which Lingle bounced back to win 25-20 to take the match.

“Friday night, the girls had to opportunity to take in the defending state champs, a game we have been preparing for all week,” LFL coach Chelsi Jackson said. “They came out ready to fight and took them down in four sets. It really was an outstanding game for these young ladies and a game that I think set the tone for the rest of the season.”

The next day, the Lady Doggers traveled to the annual Lusk Invite where the LFL went 2-2 on the day.

Lingle opened the day with a 2-1 loss to the WyoPreps.com Class 1A No. 2-ranked Upton Lady Bobcats, 25-20, 22-25, 15-13. In the second round, the Lady Doggers defeated Cheyenne Central JV 25-4, 23-25, 15-6. In the third match of the day, the Lady Doggers swept Hanna-Elk Mountain 25-8, 25-12. Lingle wrapped up the day with a 25-23, 25-23 loss to the Class 2A No. 3-ranked Wright Panthers.

Over the five matches in two days, Speckner led the team with 40 kills, four blocks and 12 aces. Sophomore Skyla Wunder dished out 56 assists and tallied a team-high 42 digs. She also had 10 aces. Shipp served up nine aces and 26 kills, while Hallie Fuller had three blocks and 16 kills. Sophomore Jordynn Speckner ahd 23 kills, three blocks and 30 digs, while senior Leah Foster had 45 assists, 29 digs and 16 kills.

The Lady Doggers (9-8 overall and 2-1 in the 2A Southeast Quadrant) travel to Morrill, Nebraska for a tournament. Action begins at 9 a.m.