By Kenny Varner

LEWISTOWN – Sometimes in defeat growth will occur.

Monday night a young Mifflin County volleyball team went up against Red Lion and gave the visitors everything they could handle before falling in three sets (22-25, 25-14, 25-19).

“I am so how proud of how we finished. Obviously we want to win. But for us right now, we are such a young team, it’s about getting that momentum and learning to play with that energy is really what we are trying to focus on,” said Mifflin County coach Danielle Napikoski. “For them to come back from not really good play to finish strong that was awesome.”

In the third set, the Patriots had built up a 10-point advantage at 23-13.

With the game looking out of hand, the Lady Huskies refused to go down with out a fight. They were locked in and marched their way back.

Mifflin County picked up a side out and put the ball in the hands of Rylie Kahley. Kahley made it a 23-15 score as she hit a serve to the back row and the return went long for the Patriots.

However, Red Lion sat on the edge of ending the game, leading 24-15.

But the scrappy play by the Huskies brought the possession back after another side out.

This time it was Ella Hartzler that would rotate in the serving position and was able to roll out three consecutive points. The last serve was an ace, bringing the score to a 24-19 contest.

However, the Patriots ended the contest on a side out.

In the first set, the Huskies went toe-to-toe for much of the contest and even held the lead for most of it.

Leading 20-14, the Huskies saw Red Lion get hot from the line as Ava Lyijynen rolled off seven consecutive service points to put the Patriots in the lead at 24-21.

Both teams exchanged side outs to end the contest 25-22.

In the second game, the Huskies had an off game as they weren’t able to get things going, falling 25-14.