PLAINS – The Plains Trotters volleyball has put itself into a must win situation if they plan on getting the first round bye at districts after falling to Troy on Saturday in five sets.

The Trotters were able to do some thing well but could not muster up a win on the road falling 25-22, 18-25, 25-19, 23-25, and 11-15.

“We hit the ball well,” Head Coach Kim Earhart said. “We just don’t finish how we need to.”

The team was able to combine for 50 digs, 27 assist and 9 blocks. Setter Felicia Earhart led the team with 26 of the assists on the afternoon.

Finishing strong has been something the Trotters have struggled with according to their coach. Earhart was impressed with how well his team played defensively and how well Leah Thompson plays at the net. Thompson led the team with 14 kills and posted six of the nine blocks against Troy.

“Leah stuffed one of the girls on Troy a couple times,” Earhart said. “It was great to watch.”

The Trotter defense should help perpetuate the offense. If the Trotters are hitting the ball well, Earhart thinks they can win every game.

“We’ve got to play up, not down,” Earhart said. “We have got to hit the ball hard and have a stronger offense.”

The Trotters were able to get 11 aces on the Trojans. Keely Benson led the team with 4 aces followed be Earhart with 3.

Earhart things the team has all the pieces in place to perform at the highest level but knows he has some things to work on during practice.

“We have the tools, but we lack the confidence,” Earhart said. “We have got to find holes and find the other team’s weak spots if we want to win.”

The Trotters have several players who can play at the net. Their strength lies in net play and their ability to block. They have the height in the front, with two girls being six feet tall. This could be a very strategic advantaged for the Trotters.. Both girls are underclassmen and Earhart will have the height advantage in the remaining games this season.

The squad has a good balance of youth and experience that Earhart hopes to take advantage of.

With the season coming to an end, ultimately so do the volleyball careers of the seniors. Coach Earhart has five seniors on his squad playing in their last home volleyball game in a Trotter uniform Saturday.

“I have five awesome senior girls who give me their all,” Earhart said. “I really appreciate how hard they have worked for me and the respect they have given me as their coach.”

Earhart began his second stint as the Trotters coach four years ago. This will be his first class where he has had the chance to coach them from their freshman year till the end of the senior year.

Coach Earhart hopes to get better each week in practice and employ his “smarter not harder” strategy when they are outmanned in a match.

Earhart also thinks that his team can be ready to play with any team as long as they have their confidence up.

“It’s one of those words in sports, confidence, and ours comes and goes,” Earhart said. “When we have it we have it, when we don’t we don’t.”

The Trotters took on Superior Tuesday night and scores were not available at press time. The Trotters will next be in action against Eureka on October 22 for senior night.