Lady Rebels dealt tough jamboree weekend

The Riverside Lady Rebels hosted what proved to be an arduous 1A jamboree last weekend when they faced some steady competition and lost three out of four games on their home court.
Coach Cindi Smith called the jamboree “a fun weekend filled with lots of competitive volleyball.” The 14 varsity and six JV teams that participated required all of Basin’s facilities and a ton of community support to run games, for which Smith expressed appreciation.
The Lady Rebels started on a strong note, defeating Kaycee, 25-15, 23-25, 25-8, 25-12. The netters served 93% behind the line, with Melisa Martinez at 100% and Vinaya VanderPloeg at 96% with six aces. Brooklynn Paxton added another eight aces to the scoreboard.
VanderPloeg and Paxton also made nine kills apiece, and Paxton and Anna Stone put up eight digs each. Dakota Cervantes provided 31 assists.
An injury hobbled Riverside going forward. In the team’s Friday matchup against Upton, outside hitter Paxton rolled her ankle in the first set and was unable to play the rest of the tournament. The Rebels adjusted on the fly; Smith said her athletes “showed a lot of grit and determination,” especially Kennedy Bassett, who “stepped in and did a great job in a new position for the team.”
“We hope [Brooklynn] will be back for our conference match in Burlington on Friday. However, it is important for her to recover as we are getting closer to tournament time,” said Smith.
The Rebels lost to Upton in four sets, 25-23, 26-28, 13-25, 17-25. Team serving suffered at 83%, though Stone and Martinez each made 100% behind the line. Stone also contributed 19 digs, and VanderPloeg added 14 digs and 16 kills. Cervantes provided 21 of the team’s 25 assists.
“In a couple of the matches serving was a factor in our loss,” Smith said. “We will focus on continuing to serve aggressively but are looking to show more consistency.”
Against Little Snake River, Riverside went down in three sets, 16-25, 14-25, 20-25. Though team serving climbed to 92%, underwhelming stats plagued the Lady Rebels’ traditionally strong showing. Martinez and VanderPloeg were the standouts, serving at 100% and making 11 and 12 digs, respectively. VanderPloeg put down 11 kills as well.
“Making good decisions on balls to eliminate unforced errors is another area that will help our team,” Smith said.
The final match against Saratoga saw Riverside’s netters recapture their competitive spirit. They lost the game but took the Lady Panthers to five sets, 25-17, 20-25, 23-25, 25-17, 13-15.
“This group of girls are always pushing themselves to improve individually and as a team,” said Smith.
 Team serving stood at 82%. Martinez proved her consistency at the line by serving 100%. Bassett also stepped up, making 30 of 34 serves for 88% and six aces. VanderPloeg contributed 31 kills, and Varissa Olsen and Bassett made six each. Cervantes provided 37 assists.
“We played to a new level in this tournament mentally and physically,” said Cervantes, an RHS senior. “Being able to compete against teams we don’t usually see until the end of the season really opened up what we are working for. Ultimately we gained great experience and knowledge for future development.”
The Riverside Rebels will see three conference opponents this week. First up is a varsity-only game on Thursday (today) at 5:30 p.m. in Ten Sleep. Then the Rebels face the Lady Huskies in Burlington on Friday in contentious matches at 5 and 6 p.m. To wrap the weekend, a varsity-only home game against Fort Washakie is scheduled at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14.
With only two weeks remaining until regionals, the strength of Riverside’s performance this week has the potential to shake up 1A Northwest Conference standings. Riverside (5-0) and Burlington (5-1) lead, and each hope to secure the prized placement before heading to Riverton at the month’s end.