Dayville/Monument senior Haylee Collins throws up a serve Friday in the Lady Tigers' first game of the season against Wheeler County at the Monument School Gym.

The Dayville/Monument Girls Volleyball team kicked off their season Friday, besting Wheeler 4-1 in front of socially distanced hometown fans.

The Lady Tigers won with scores 25-9, 25-17 and 25-12.

Wheeler won a close one, the third game, 25-23.

In the first set, the Lady Tigers dominated right out of the gate. According to Lady Tigers head coach Triela Smith, the team played “strategically” and was particularly effective with strong, “all-position” serves and overall great teamwork.

She said unity, positivity, and resilience were what allowed them to come back from the 25-23 loss.

Along with the team’s overall great chemistry, Smith said the team played “strategically,” especially when it came to “all-position” serves. She said the team’s precision and consistency, particularly in the night’s final match, where the Lady Tigers won by the most significant margin, 25-12, was a great example of how the team consistently scored points in the win.

Team co-captain Katelyn Barker, a junior, said that everyone on the team is all friends off the court. Which, she said, made a difference in Friday’s matchup.

Barker said the camaraderie has been instrumental with new players this season as well.

Aubreianna Osborne, sophomore and team co-captain, said it felt good to finally play together at home in front of a hometown crowd.

Barker said winning made the first matchup that much sweeter.

“We did not give up,” she said. “We came together, played together and stuck together,” she said.

Next up: The Lady Tigers will host the Prairie City/Burnt River Lady Panthers in league play on March 11 at 5 p.m.