WEBSTER CITY – Opening its season a few days later than most teams across the state, the Webster City volleyball team fell victim to first-night jitters and inconsistency against a pair of teams that had already played a combined eight matches when the teams took the court inside the WCHS gymnasium Tuesday evening.

After winning its opening set of the campaign, WCHS dropped the next four in succession and walked away with a pair of losses.

Ballard (2-2) rallied from the first set loss to knock off the Lynx, 29-31, 25-11, 15-7. North Polk (5-3) earned a two-set sweep over WCHS, 25-16 and 25-19.

“We had our opportunities in both matches to capitalize on difference situations. At times we did and at times we let them take easy points away from us,” WCHS head coach Jess Howard said. “We just need to work on our consistency and playing together because they all have the ability to make the plays. It’s the confidence to finish plays that we need to keep working on.”

A lack of firepower at net didn’t allow the Lynx to pile up easy points. They hit just .038 against the Bombers and .149 against the Comets.

WCHS swatted 32 kills in the two matches, led by senior Taylor Schnathorst, who blasted eight in each encounter. Halle Mason and Cassidy Nerland both added five, and Olivia Myers slapped four from the middle of the court.

Courtney Lampman (22 assists) and Sarah Vogelbacher (19 assists) handled the bulk of the setting duties for the Lynx.

Libero Gianna Gourley collected 24 digs. Nerland produced 17, including a match-high 13 against Ballard, and Schnathorst checked in with 16.