An injury bug, who needs one of those?

The Plains Trotters were bitten by the pesky injury bug last week and are hoping to get healthy again as the season winds towards the tournament season later this month.

As of press time this week, coach Kim Lakko and her Trotters were set to face another traditionally pesky foe, the rival Thompson Falls Lady Hawks Tuesday evening at PHS, injuries or no injuries.

Last week, the Trotters lost several players at least temporarily in five-set losses to Charlo and Mission Tuesday in Plains and Thursday at Mission, and then fell in three sets to Eureka in Plains.

According to Lakko, the Trotters lost Aubree Butcher to an ankle injury in the first set against Mission, Aly Roy tore a quad muscle earlier in the week, and Reese Meredith also suffered an ankle injury. Lakko was happy, however with how her squad battled through . “All things considered,” she said, “I felt the girls adjusted and they fought.

In the 25-21, 23-25, 23-25, 25-26, 15-7 loss to a very good Class C Charlo team, Butcher led the Trotters with 11 kills, three blocks and 15 digs, Kalli Tuma hit 10 kills, two aces and five set assists, Claire Lakko turned in a fine all-around effort with nine kills, 35 assists, 11 digs and three aces, Hadyn Rice three blocks and three aces, Taylor Saner hit a team-best 19 digs, and Taryn Meredith two service aces.

In the 25-27, 25-20, 25-10, 24-26, 15-6 loss at Mission, Rice led the Trotters at the net with 14 kills and five blocks, Tuma hit nine Ks, 10 digs, five assists and five aces, Claire Lakko added 10 digs, four blocks and 30 set assists, Saner three aces and 11 digs, and Jaycee Carr 10 more digs.

At Eureka Saturday, the District 7B-leading Lady Lions downed the hobbled Trotters 25-23, 25-17, 25-14.

Rice hit eight kills and blocked two Eureka kill attempts, Tuma was good for eight kills, 11 digs, a block and an ace, Bri Kulawinski ht an ace and seven digs, Lakko 24 set assists, seven digs and three aces, and Carr and Taryn Meredith an ace apiece.

Hoping to regain their team health in the next few weeks, the Trotters will have a full week off after hosting Thompson Falls Tuesday, returning to action October 21 entertaining Sanders County rival Hot Springs in a non-conference match.