The Wauneta-Palisade Broncos volleyball team fought to the bitter end, but still lost its season-opening match 25-20, 16-25, 25-23, 24-26, 13-15 to Hitchcock County Friday.
    Service and attack errors littered the first set, but both teams stayed scrappy throughout.
    Neither team managed more than a three-point advantage until WP broke free from a 19-19 tie. Kills by Haylee Sandman and Michaela Dukes, to go with an ace by Payton Yearous, gave WP a 23-20 edge. Back-to-back attack errors by the Falcons handed the first set to WP.
    Hitchcock County maintained control during the second set. WP trailed 9-20 before  closing out the set strong. Sandman, Yearous and Dukes continued to pace the Broncos down the stretch with a kill each. Not only did the Broncos lose the set 16-25, WP lost senior outside hitter Monique Gooden for the rest of the match due to injury.
    With senior Dakota Ingold switching the libero jersey for a regular one, WP took a 7-2 lead in the third set.
    Hitchcock County nibbled into the lead until a rash of WP attack errors swung the advantage back to the Falcons.

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