Highwood Mustangs suffer defeat to STS

The Highwood Mustangs Senior Girls volleyball playoffs continued on Monday (Nov. 4) but suffered a 3-1 defeat to the Strathcona-Tweedsmuir Spartans (STS).

The Mustangs came into the match as the fourth seed, whereas STS was coming in as the first seed.

STS edged out the Mustangs in the first set, with Highwood falling short 26-24. The Mustangs were down early in the set, falling behind 12-3, but they kept fighting and eventually made it a 14-8 with a strong comeback brewing. The set would then be tied at 20-20, and even gain their first lead with a 21-20 score with the next point. The Mustangs had a chance to put it away with a 24-22 lead, but STS came back to take the first set.

The second set was another close one, but this time, the Mustangs came away with the win. During the set, the game would go to a tie a total of 10 times. Highwood would gain a two-point lead and held onto it until the Spartans tied things up for the last time in the set at 21-21. Highwood wouldn't let the late tie in the set deter their efforts and found a way to dig deep and win the set 25-22.

With the game tied at 1-1, it stayed close, with Highwood holding onto a two-point lead with a 14-12 score. Highwood couldn't hold the lead but made things interesting when they made it a one-point set with STS leading 19-18. The Spartans would then march on, scoring seven unanswered points to take set two 25-18.

Set four started off the same way set three ended, with the Spartans opening up the score with seven points. STS would consistently hold a 10-point lead throughout the set and made things difficult for Highwood to come back into the game. The Mustangs would find themselves down 24-9 and have a late set push getting on the board three times; it wasn't enough to keep STS at bay as they scored the final point for a 25-12 final in the fourth set.

STS will now face the HTA Knights for the gold medal final today (Nov. 6).

Highwood's playoff run isn't over yet, as they play at Foothills Composite for the Bronze medal game against the Falcons tonight at 5:30.