Errors cost Garden City on day one in La Junta

By Mike Pilosof

La Junta, CO-There have been flashes of good play for Garden City. But the inconsistency has hurt the Broncbusters through their first seven matches.

Garden City dropped two more on Friday, losing to Trinidad State in three sets (12-25, 20-25 and 12-25) and to Lamar in four (25-23, 20-25, 21-25 and 21-25) on the opening day of the Otero Junior College Classic.

"We are still really looking for an identity," Head Coach Patrick Hiltz said. "Some of us at times, are still wanting to do our own thing. That is really hurting us."

The Broncbusters really struggled in the opener, with a slew of errors leading to an early double-digit deficit. Following a 13-point loss in the first set, Garden City kept things close in the second before a couple of untimely miscues put them in a 2-0 hole. Unfortunately, the final set mirrored the first, making it the third time this season that the Broncbusters have been swept in straight sets.

"Until this team decides to be disciplined, to give max effort every day in all areas of their lives, to listen to their coaches, to play as a team, the results will be the same," Hiltz explained.

The second match was a glimmer of hope. Garden City came out with a ton of energy, sneaking past the Lopes with a two-point victory in the opening set. But the Broncbusters dropped the next two. Then in the fourth, Garden City blew a 12-2 advantage, as they watched Lamar storm back to tie it at 14. With the score knotted at 21, the Broncbusters committed four consecutive errors that ended the match.

"It's frustrating to watch some of the players on this team working their butts off and giving everything they've got every single point, only to have their efforts washed away by the few remaining players that are paddling in a different direction," Hiltz said.

Jessica Forbes led the way with 14 kills in the second match. Katarina Vojvodic added 12 kills, Summer Nerkowski had 19 digs, and Katie McHugh led the way with 25 assists.

Garden City is back in action on Saturday against North Platte at 1 p.m. and Otero at 3 p.m.