Christy Reynolds focuses on the ball after a hit.

The Brookings-Harbor High School volleyball team lost in three straight games, 19-25, 15-25, 17-25, to an older, more experienced McKinleyville team.

“We have moments when we look really good, and then we have times when we look young,” Head Coach Lori Cooper said after the game. “We have to rise above it.”

According to Cooper the fact that the Bruins are a very young team does factor into the team’s lack of consistency. 

With only one starting senior and five starting sophomores, the Bruins are a team that is building for the upcoming years.

“The game is a lot faster than what they’re used to,” Cooper said. “I’ve thrown these girls in there, and until they get used to it, it will be tough.”

The Lady Bruins began game one slowly, dropping to 11-23 before staging a late-breaking comeback to draw within six at 19-25, but it just wasn’t enough.

In game two, the Bruins kept the opening moments of the game close, taking the Lady Panthers to an 8-8 tie early.

They succumbed to mental mistakes though, and ended the game at 15-25.

The third, and final, game saw the Bruins hobbled by errors right out of the starting blocks, and before they could swing the momentum their way, McKinleyville had reached 25 points.

The last two set points were tough points to lose for Brookings-Harbor as the two teams rallied back and forth to make an exciting finish.

“Our focus wasn’t there tonight,” senior Whitney Floyd said. “We underestimated the team, and we haven’t been working as hard as we could have in practice.”

“Practices will definitely be a lot harder,” she added.

Floyd led the team in offensive categories with eight kills and two stuff blocks.

Christy Reynolds added four kills and one stuff block to the totals, and also had six digs.

Defensively, Shaundee Hatcher and Cayleen Wiley both had three digs.

“Our blocking is not good at all,” Cooper said. “And it allows the offense to tee off on us.”

While the loss was tough to take the team is looking forward to starting league play against Douglas on Thursday, Floyd said. 

“With league play beginning, we should be more focused, as we realize that the games are more important,” she added.