RITZVILLE – On Tuesday, the Lind-Ritzville Broncos hosted the Warden Cougars to open the 2025 season. The Broncos controlled the game, winning the first three sets to secure their first win of the season with a final score of 3-0.  

“One thing I appreciate watching is that it can be hard to play teams that are playing at a different pace than what we're used to, and I think we did a good job not changing our style so much, and that's not always easy to do,” Broncos head coach Cari Galbreath said.  

The Broncos were led by an energetic Hannah Towne and Saige Galbreath. The duo made their presence known at the net. Towne showed an ability to meet the ball midair and spike it down with power. Saige had several moments where this same power was put on display. 

“(Towne) is just really shining this year on the volleyball court, which makes me just so happy. I think her teammates feed off of her positivity and energy, and she's just connecting really well,” Cari said. “Sage was very effective, and I think she's such a smart player, and she brings power, but she brings smarts to it and defensively as well.” 

The Broncos maintained control of the game throughout each set. While the Cougars kept it close throughout, they were never able to close the gap. Head Coach Katie Roylance said she saw glimmers from her team. According to her, the Cougars are in somewhat of a rebuilding year.  

“As I see the younger kids, like ‘Oh hey, they recognize this this time they stepped up this time with that,’ they're growing as players. My older kids, you can see their frustration coming out, but I mean, that's just part of the game. Like, you have to deal with the frustration. You have to learn to deal with what's handed to you right now,” Roylance said.  

Though there were not many positive takeaways, Roylance said this gives the players an opportunity to learn and grow. She said the Cougars will look to improve the mental side of the game going forward. In a growing year, Roylance is confident her players will bounce back.  

On the flipside for the Broncos, Cari said she saw some moments from the game where they could fine-tune the small details of the game. Though small errors, she said, they should address them now before they haunt them later.  

“We had some miscommunications or not communicating early enough. I think we had more missed serves than I would like in a situation like this. We still had some errors (that) as a coach, I see we need to fix and clean up,” she said.

She feels her team has a lot of potential this year to be successful. She said they have a nice blend of experienced and young players. The Broncos players do a good job of helping each other on the court, she said.  

“I just think we're a good mix of veterans and rookies and just helping each other. The rookies are doing really well with filling the roles that need to be filled, and I think the veterans are doing really well at capitalizing on those roles they've had. I think we can have a great run,” Cari said.  

The Broncos host Davenport at home Thursday, with a start time of 6:30 p.m. 

    Broncos’ Zoe Galbreath, left, calls out to her team during a rally. Zoe is a senior for the Broncos and is considered a key player for them, according to Head Coach Cari Galbreath.
  

    The Warden Cougars back line prepares for the Broncos to serve the ball on Tuesday. Head Coach Katie Roylance said she saw glimmers from her team in what she considers to be a rebuilding year for them.
  

    Broncos’ Hannah Towne (24) celebrates with her teammates after scoring a point. Head Coach Cari Galbreath said Towne brings an energy the rest of the team feeds off of.
  

    The Broncos’ Allesandra Mendez looks to her teams bench in between serves.