Playing for something more than a win, the Bastrop volleyball team returned to the court for the first time in a week.

Emotions were high Tuesday night as the Lady Bears (5-22, 0-3 District 16-4A) battled to the end falling to Connally in four sets, 25-23, 25-22, 25-27, 25-15 at Bear Gymnasium.

It was the first game for Bastrop since Sept. 2 and the Lady Bears played with more emotion than they have all season.

Bastrop’s Maci Lott , Addison Semer and Kayla Bartsch helped keep Bastrop in the match in each of the first three sets.

Lott, who finished the game with a team-high 14 kills, had seven in the first set as Bastrop kept the district-leading Lady Cougars on their toes.

Connally took a 14-9 lead through the first set, but a kill by Lott started a comeback and eventually cut the lead to just two points.

Lott gave Bastrop a 18-17 lead with a kill, but Connally was able to hold off the Lady Bears from taking the set despite Lott’s best efforts.

The Lady Cougars (15-14, 5-0) held an early lead through the second set until back-to-back kills from Kaitlyn Cook gave Bastrop a 12-10 lead.

An ace by Lott and a Connally error lifted the Lady Bears to their biggest lead of the match — four points — but the Lady Cougars came charging back and took the second set 25-22.

Connally held the lead through most of the third set until a pair of blocks by Addison Semer on match point tied the set 24-24. The Lady Cougars took a 25-24 lead, but a service error by the Lady Cougars allowed Bastrop the opportunity to stay in the set.

An ace by Kayla Bartsch gave Bastrop its first lead of the set and a hitting error by Connally kept the Lady Bears in the match.

The Lady Cougars, however, flexed their muscles and defeated Bastrop 25-15 in the fourth set to take the match.

Bastrop will return to the court Friday when the Lady Bears travel north to take on rival Elgin at Wildcat Gym. The match is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Connally def. Bastrop
Connally (15-14, 5-0)    25    25    25    25
Bastrop (5-22, 0-3)    23    22    27    15

Kills — Maci Lott 14, Brittany Reed 10
Blocks — Addison Semer 11.5, Reed 7.5
Assists — Raven Anderson 15
Aces — Kaitlyn Cook 2, Lott 2, Kayla Bartsch 2
Digs — Cook 17, Lott 11, Anderson 10, Caroline Castor 10