Trotters bounce back for win

The script read like a Hollywood movie on a night where the Plains Trotters honored their seniors Izzy Butcher, Lexa Craft, Genna Deschamps, Madison Elliott and Kaylah Standeford. It was a game for the ages as Coach Jesse Butcher’s team pulled off a heroic comeback. In a season marred by new rotations and missing starters, Plains pulled it all together Friday night to rally from a two set deficit to defeat the Troy Trojans 22-25, 24-26, 25-21, 25-18, 16-14.

The first set opened with the teams going back and forth until Troy went on a five-point run highlighted by four straight aces to take a 16-11 lead. Plains battled back (the theme for the night) to tie the score at 20 courtesy of aces from seniors Butcher, Deschamps, Elliott and Craft but ultimately dropped the set 22-25.

Troy jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the second set only to see Plains fight back to tie the score at seven powered by a diving save from Butcher that set up junior Piper Bergstrom perfectly to deliver a big kill. Standeford was then able to connect on back-to-back aces to give the Trotters a 9-7 lead. Troy responded to take a 10-9 lead before Butcher delivered two more aces to put Plains ahead 14-11, prompting the Trojans to call for timeout. Out of the timeout Troy once again scrapped to bring the set to a 16-16 tie before coach Butcher signaled for a timeout of her own. While Plains kept the rest of the set close (no team led by more than two) they eventually dropped the set 24-26 to fall into a two set deficit.

The third set was the beginning of a momentum swing that would propel Plains back into the game.The Trotters would rebound from trailing 5-10 to take a 13-10 lead courtesy of four consecutive clutch aces from Deschamps. After a Troy timeout, the Trojans were able to tie the set at 16 leading to a critical timeout called by coach Butcher. Whatever the Plains head coach said during the timeout resonated with her daughter Izzy as the senior propelled the Trotters back into the lead with a kill followed by back-to-back aces. Another booming kill from Elliot followed by an ace from Craft solidified the lead and Bergstrom closed out the set with a beautifully placed set that dropped between the Trojans defenders, giving the Trotters a 25-21 victory in the set.

Plains continued their charge in the early stages of the fourth set behind some highlight-reel worthy moments including an overhead volley for a point from Craft and a thrilling play that featured back-to-back diving saves from Butcher and Standeford. With the score tied at seven the Trotters were finally able to gain some separation through kills from Butcher, junior Lillian McDonald and Bergstrom to take a commanding 18-9 lead in. Plains maintained their lead to win the set 25-18 thanks to a massive block from Elliot and another ace from Craft.

With the set tally tied 2-2, the two teams headed into a do or die fifth set with Plains holding the upper hand. The Trojans weren’t going to go down easy however. They worked hard to bring the score to a 14-14 tie in front of a Plains crowd desperate to see their team pull off the miracle comeback. In what was a proper way to finish off senior night, Izzy Butcher delivered one last diving save, followed by a game winning ace from Kaylah Standeford to win the set 16-14. Hugs were shared and tears were shed as the Plains players and student section embraced at mid court to celebrate the victory.

Coach Butcher’s Trotters will look to carry the energy from their senior night victory into the district 7-B tournament this weekend in St. Ignatius.