As Yogi Berra said, "It's like deja vu all over again."
For the first time in 2020, Big Sandy matched up on the volleyball court Saturday against an opponent they had seen earlier in the season.
This time on the road, they ended up with a remarkably similar result against the North Star Knights.
That's good and bad.
On the plus side, again the District 7C foes played a marathon set for the ages after a fairly close one, while another went disastrously for the Pioneers in a 3-0 sweep.
They just reshuffled in order from Aug. 29 meeting.
"Even more intense this time," added Pioneers coach Brittany McKenney.
Big Sandy fell 25-20, 35-33, 25-7 in the Rudyard gym that is slated to host the district playoffs.
In the earlier match at home, Big Sandy fell 25-21, 25-8, 31-29 on Aug. 29.
The intensity increased when playing the pivotal set in the second, Big Sandy threatening to even up the match again and again before North Star finally took the edge. In the third and final set, the Pioneers were simply drained from the effort and emotion of the one prior.
Amiya Griffith recorded six kills to lead the Pioneers against the squad just one notch above them in the league standings. Alicia Bjornestad registered a pair of aces and a team-high 8 assists. Tavie Wortman led Big Sandy with 14 digs while Angie Sant and Caydence Pleninger combined for a block.
The Pioneers remain in sixth place in the league standings for seeding to the postseason tournament, ahead of Box Elder and Hays-Lodgepole, whom they have defeated, and Centerville, a team they have not yet faced.
A stretch of matches on the road that seems it may never end continues Thursday for the Pioneers at Chinook, before a long-awaited return home for a 6 p.m. tilt Saturday with Dutton/Brady.
