Hardin was the 3-1 winner over Laurel when they last played one another back in September, but their luck changed this time around. The Bulldogs fell just short of the Locomotives by a score of 3-2 on Saturday.
In an exciting match in which no team claimed back-to-back wins, Hardin sadly wound up on the wrong side. The final score came out to 25-16, 22-25, 25-18, 25-27, 15-9.
Ella Carleton
| 10/25/25 @ Laurel | 22 |
| 10/23/25 vs Lockwood | 28 |
| 10/18/25 @ East Helena | 17 |
Despite the loss, Hardin saw an underclassman step up: sophomore Ella Carleton had 22 digs and five aces. Carleton has been hot recently, having posted 17 or more digs the last three times she's played.
Laurel's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Bailey Bequette, who had 18 digs and four assists. That's the most assists Bequette has posted over her last five matches. Another player making a difference was Bella Mares, who had ten digs.
Hardin has traveled a rocky road recently, having lost five of their last six matchups. That's put a noticeable dent in their 4-12-1 record this season. As for Laurel, their victory bumped their record up to 6-8-1.
Looking ahead, Hardin will take on Lockwood at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Laurel does not have any more games scheduled as of now.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
