Arlington High School seniors Taylor Arp, Austyn Flesner and Lizzie Meyer played their final home volleyball match Tuesday night.
The Eagles (2-24 overall) lost 25-11, 25-13, 25-11 to Class C1 No. 9 Syracuse (23-7), but were able to celebrate the 12th-graders before the outing.
“I couldn't ask for better seniors,” AHS coach Stacy Nelson said. “They work hard, and they give everything that they have.”
Flesner overcame a major injury during her high school career and played as the Eagles' setter during her senior season.
“Austyn plays a position that she'd much rather not play, but she goes hard and gives it her all,” Nelson said, chuckling.
Arp also plays multiple positions for Arlington.
“She's always willing to do it,” the coach said.
Meyer, meanwhile, brings supreme effort to the floor.
“She gives you every last ounce of energy and she's a strong player,” Nelson added.
Against the Rockets, AHS and its seniors struggled at the start of both the first and third sets. It fell behind 11-0 during the first before Syracuse served the ball long and Macy Wolf notched a kill at 13-2. The sophomore also notched the Eagles' first kill of the third set at 9-1.
During the second set, however, coach Nelson's squad was competitive at the start. Peyton Timm notched Arlington's first kill before adding a second with her team behind 7-3.
Arp's service ace pulled the Eagles within 7-4, too, before back-to-back points by Meyer and Flesner cut the road team's lead to 8-6.
Wolf added an AHS block with the Rockets still ahead 13-10, but it was as close as the Eagles would get for the rest of the second set.
Coach Nelson's lineup next competes during the Class C1-3 Subdistrict Tournament, which is unofficially set to be played at Douglas County West in Valley. Official match times were unavailable as of press time.
The prep careers of Arp, Flesner and Meyer will be on the line with each postseason match.
“Not only are they great volleyball players, they're amazing people off and on the court,” Nelson said, complimenting her 12th-grade group's leadership skills.
AHS VOLLEYBALL LINE SCORE
Tuesday
No. 9 Syracuse 3, Arlington 0
SHS (23-7) 25 25 25 — 3
AHS (2-24) 11 13 11 — 0
