Senior Meagan Larsen and junior Tess Sheets combined for a total of 29 digs and 26 assists to lead the lead the team both offensively and defensively , but the Lady Wildcats fell to Melbourne Central Catholic 25-20, 22-25, 14-25, and 11-25 in the Hustler’s home gym Thursday night.

“We faced a tough blocking team that powered the ball back to our court,” Coach Bonnie Priester said. “We had strong play from Meagan and Tess but couldn’t pull out the win.”

The Hustler’s offensive strategy consisted of a triple block in all three hitting positions. This tactic forced the Wildcats to improvise a different offensive strategy, hindering a their ability to score points.

“[This match] was extremely nerve-racking for me because I’ve played with most of [the MCC] players in club and I knew what they were capable of,” said Sheets. “I feel like we played well overall, so it was disappointing that we lost.”

The Wildcats now hold a 12-6 record and are seeded third going into the district competition Monday. In the first round, they will be face off against the Space Coast vipers at Edgewood Jr./ Sr. High School.