The Pike Liberal Arts School volleyball team prepared for what their coach would later call ‘the toughest team’ the Patriots played all season as Hooper Academy came into town Thursday night.

Despite playing close in all throughout the match, the Patriots fell to the Colts in four games.

The first game between the two teams went back and fourth with each team taking multiple point leads.

However, the Colts were able to take the lead late in the game and never looked back, winning by two, 25-23.

The second game was a different story, thanks to the serving of Shelby Broadway and Katie Wiggins.

The Patriots were able to jump out to a large lead and change their fortune from the first game, as the team would win by double-figures, 25-14.

The win, however, was short lived, as Hooper was able to bounce back from the second game loss by winning the next two games and clinching the match.

The third game had a very similar feeling to the first game, as both teams fought for the lead.

The Colts were able to take a 22-16 lead and ran with it to a 25-22 win.

The fourth game was all Hooper, as the team jumped out to a 16-8 lead and eventually won 25-16.

[Hooper] was one of the best team we have played all season long,” Patriots head coach Mendy Avant said.

Despite the tough loss, the coach said she still feels confident in her team.

“I feel pretty good about our girls right now,” Avant said. “Each of them is doing their parts to help the team win.”

“We are getting better and better with each game.”

The loss drops the Patriots to 5-3 on the season, with games against Morgan and Meadowview coming up.

“We are going to have keep working,” the coach said.

Avant went on to say that playing a close match with a team like Hooper is something that can really benefit PLAS later on in the season.

The next time the team hits the court will be on Monday, on the road, against Morgan County for a 4 p.m. match.