It was a tall order indeed for the young, promising Alberton volleyball team.

When youth and inexperience become upperclasswomen and experience, this would not have been such a tall order.

And yet, as the Lady Panthers have already shown earlier this year, take them lightly and you might be snuck up on and bit.

So with Hot Springs and Noxon on the menu for the week, Alberton was hoping one of the Western 14C leaders might think they were a soft spot on their schedule.

Alberton began the week with a trip to Hot Springs for a conference game against the Lady Heat, co-holders of second place in the league, along with Noxon.

Noxon was due on Saturday night.

But first the Savage Heat, winners of six of their last seven games after a slow start to the season.

And although they were swept by the Heat, Alberton put up a fight worthy of a team on the way up.

Hot Springs took an early match lead when they won a tough opening set 25-20, a back and forth game that featured several ties and lead changes before the Lady Heat pulled away late.

The first set established the tone for what was a deceptive sweep. Alberton scrapped all the way in set number two, trading punches and leads with the host team before falling 27-25. That put Alberton behind 2-0 in the match count.

So if the Heat may have thought this one was in the bag, they no doubt shook those ideas off and buckled down for what turned out to be a hard fought set, before the home team pulled out a 25-23 third set victory and clinched the sweep.

The win boosted Hot Springs to 6-4 on the year and 5-4 in 14C play. Alberton fell to 2-5 on the season and 2-3 in the conference with the loss.

Hot Springs standout sophomore Kara Christensen had a solid all-around game for the Heat, recording five service aces, eight kills, six digs and one block for the match.

Saturday night the Heat welcomed Noxon to town with its usual well-coached, athletic team and a 7-3 season record.

Alberton put up a good fight in the opening set, falling 25-20 in a back and forth set that featured four late lead changes and gave the visiting Lady Devils a 1-0 match lead.

Noxon then showed why it is near the top of the 14C standing in set number two when it exploded for a 25-6 win and a 2-0 match lead.

The Lady Panthers took a brief early lead in the third set but Noxon tied the score at three each, then steadily increased the lead the rest of the way en route to a 25-14 win that clinched the sweep.

Up next for Hot Springs is a match tonight (Tuesday, Oct 17) versus Plains on the Trotters home court. Things don’t get easier for Alberton as the Panthers travel to Seeley tonight to face the Lady Blackhawks, then take on Charlo in Alberton Saturday night to close out their regular season.