By DAVID COLBURN

News editor

Peabody-Burns found the going tough in Saturday’s expanded home volleyball tournament, dropping all five matches it played in the marathon event.

The Lady Warriors’ final consolation match against Harford was a microcosm of how most of the day played out, a mixture of disheartening dry spells and spirited runs that came up just short.

Harford handled Peabody-Burns easily in the first set, 25-12, but the second would be much closer.

The Lady Warriors trailed but stayed close for most of the game. Lindsey Frye dropped in a push shot to get PBHS to within one, 15-14. After Hartford extended the lead to 18-14, Breanna Lett’s smart push shot, Tori Pickens’ block down at the net, and a Hartford error had Peabody-Burns poised to tie the game.

But the Lady Jaguars responded with four consecutive points to lead 22-17 and coasted to a match-clinching 25-20 win.

The Lady Warriors went 0-2 in each of their matches against Solomon, Wichita Classical School, Burrton, and Chase County.

“We know that this tournament is tough every year, and this year it was a little tougher because we added two more teams and we played two more games,” coach Sheena Gann said. “I told them not to hang their heads. We definitely learned a lot. We know where we need to start work at on Monday.”

Given the times the Lady Warriors were close or relinquished a lead, finishing strong is at the top of the list, Gann said; being more aggressive is another.

“We’ve got grit and we’ve got hustle, and there were some rallies that went on for a really long time,” she said. “It’s just finishing. It’s stringing the good together. We’ve got to keep working on those things to be aggressive.”

Gann shuffled her lineup during the tournament, giving new and younger players opportunities as she looked for a combination that clicked.

While her team didn’t win any games, Gann remained upbeat.

“Any day’s a great day when we get to wake up and play volleyball,” she said. “The experience gets us ready for what’s to come.”