The Sidney Lady Raider volleyball team improved to 21-5 on Saturday, and along the way brought home a Western Conference Tournament championship. Sidney started the day with their second loss of the season to Scottsbluff and ended it with a straight set win over Chadron in the championship match.

The Lady Raiders entered the Western Conference Tournament as the number one seed, followed by Mitchell, Chadron, Gering, Scottsbluff, and Alliance. The teams were divided by into pools based on seeding for the first round of the tournament. Pool A was made up of Sidney (1), Gering (4), and Scottsbluff (5). Pool B consisted of Mitchell (2), Chadron (3), and Alliance (6).

Sidney faced Scottsbluff for the fourth time this season in the opening match. After losing to the Bearcats in the first game of the season, the Lady Raiders had won the last two matches in straight sets. That was not the case on Saturday morning as Scottsbluff edged out Sidney in the first set 26-24. The Lady Raiders rebounded to dominate set number two 25-16, but fell to Scottsbluff 25-22 in the third.

The Bearcats had to turn right around to play cross-town rival Gering in the second match of the day, falling in straight sets 25-23, 25-23. That straight set loss by Scottsbluff allowed Sidney to get back into the championship picture if they could win their game against Gering.

Sidney was able to defeat the Bulldogs in straight sets for the second time this season, 25-23, 25-18 to earn a spot in the championship match.

The Lady Raiders finished the day with a straight set win over Chadron in the championship match 25-21, 25-21. It was the third meeting of the year between the two C1-12 Sub-District opponents, with Sidney winning all three. The two will face off again on Tuesday in Chadron with the freshman match at 4:00 p.m., followed the JV at about 5:00 p.m. The varsity match will begin around 6:00 p.m. and can be heard live on KSID 1340 AM & 95.7 FM, “The Fort”.

WESTERN CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT

POOL A
Scottsbluff defeats Sidney 26-24, 16-25, 25-22
Gering defeats Scottsbluff 25-23, 25-23
Sidney defeats Gering 25-23, 25-18

POOL B
Alliance defeats Mitchell 25-16, 25-19
Chadron defeats Alliance 25-10, 25-22
Chadron defeats Mitchell 25-8, 25-9

5TH PLACE
Scottsbluff defeats Mitchell 25-14, 25-13

3RD PLACE
Gering defeats Alliance 25-19, 25-20

1ST PLACE
Sidney defeats Chadron 25-21, 25-21