The Pike Patriot’s volleyball season came to an end Tuesday when they lost to the Clarke Prep Gators in four sets in the opening round of the AISA volleyball regional tournament in Grove Hill.

The scores were 18-25, 16-25, 29-27, and 19-25

The Patriots played with a lot of heart on Tuesday, according to head coach Jacqui Wynn.

“They were just able to hit the ball right over our blockers,” Wynn said. “They got blocked a few times, and they figured out that it may be a better option for them and turned it out it was a much better option for them.”

Pike won just two games this season, but for first year head coach Wynn, it was a season she will never forget.

“It was a blast,” Wynn said. “It was something new coming into a town, with new people and coaching girls that I have never met or seen. I learned how to coach them and how to get them motivated.”

The Patriots had a relatively young team, and Wynn hopes her team will continue to learn from and adjust to what happened this season.

“They have to work every practice,” Wynn said. “They can’t take a single practice off. They have to constantly work because other teams are working just as hard. If we work harder we will have a chance.”

Their three seniors Callee Jinright, Danielle Brown and Lauren Johnson led all season.

“Our seniors had great leadership skills,” Wynn said. “For that I was most grateful.  We did something different this year; I put them in charge of about seven or eight players. They took those girls and told and taught them what they could. They just became a good family group, and they now have life long friends that they will take with them. No matter where they go in life they know they have a family.”

The members of the 2016 Patriots are: Hollis Floyd, Mya Terry, Tori Ash, Danielle Brown, Laruen Johnson, Gracie Blair, Kaylee Ferraro, Mary Kendall Motes, Maggie Phelps, Madisyn Johnson, Callee Jinright, Jordan Grice and Ashelyn Atwell.