Wednesday, July 01, 2026
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Trotters cap regular season with wins

JOHN HAMILTON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 8 months AGO
by JOHN HAMILTON
| October 29, 2025 12:00 AM

Some stories do still have happy endings.

Coach Kim Lakko and her Plains Trotters gave their fans a happy ending to the regular season by sweeping to a pair of volleyball wins last week, coming back from two sets down to defeat Hot Springs 28-30, 17-25, 25-17, 25-22, 15-6 in Plains Tuesday and topping the Lady Trojans 25-17, 25-20, 22-25, 25-16 in Troy Saturday.

Finishing regular season play with an 8-8 record, Lako and her Trotters will now cool their jets until playing in the Western B divisional tournament in Mission beginning November 6.

“There is no district tournament for our side of the division this year, but it will be happening for the other half,” Lakko said. “Tournament season is a new season. Anything can happen and that’s what makes it exciting. The girls are excited for it- excited to prepare and practice for it, and to show up at our best and compete together.”

In the win over Troy, Hadyn Rice put down 11 kills and blocked four shots, Aubree Butcher hit 10 kills and blocked four more shots, Claire Lakko hit 30 set assists and eight kills, and Kalli Tuma hit a team-high 15 digs and added six set assists.

Tuesday’s match with Hot Springs was also senior night in Plains.

Coach Lakko said seniors Tuma, Macey Malmend and Randie Kilgore hit 100% of their serves in the match to spark the Trotter win.

Rice finished with 16 kills and four blocks, Tuma was good for 10 kills, 13 digs and six aces, Claire Lakko had 30 set assists and 11 digs, Butcher hit five blocks, Malmend 11 set assists and Taylor Saner, another senior, added nine digs.

“It was awesome having all of our seniors take the court and compete the entire first set together,” coach Lakko said. “Macey Malmend took on the offense in a 5-1 role.

“Taylor Saner continued leading our back row as libero. Kalli Tuma lead her team the entire night as an ever steady and aggressive pin hitter,” she added. “Randie Kilgore did an exceptional job as a middle back defensive specialist and serving specialist. They are a

great group of girls and it was awesome being able to have them start the match together and close it with each of them on the court for the win.”

The top two tams from the Western B tourney in Mission advance on to the State B tournament in Bozeman November 13.

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