Broncbusters Fall in Four to Trinidad State Despite Strong Start

Photo by: Adam Shrimplin/Garden City Athletics

Garden City, KS – In their second match of the Scooter's Coffee Invite, Garden City squared off against Trinidad State on Friday afternoon. The Broncbusters came out firing but couldn't sustain the momentum, ultimately dropping the contest in four sets (25–10, 22–25, 19–25, 23–25).

The opening set belonged to Garden City. Vitoria Reis set the tone early from the service line, delivering aces and helping the Busters race to a commanding 5–0 lead. Paris Bond followed with a thundering kill, while Kat Miscevicmade her presence felt at the net with a massive block to squash any early Trinidad momentum. Behind efficient hitting and steady defense, Garden City cruised to a 25–10 win.

The second set told a different story. Trinidad, coming off a five-set battle earlier in the day and delayed by travel issues, began to find their rhythm. Service errors by the Busters allowed the Trojans to grab a slim 7–8 lead. Miscevic tried to swing the momentum back with a clutch kill, but Trinidad countered with a serving run led by Ana Vitoria Vian, who delivered multiple aces. The six-point surge forced a timeout from Coach Jacob Sander. Back-to-back blocks from Miscevic sparked a Garden City rally, narrowing the deficit to 22–23. But Trinidad held firm, closing the set 25–22 to even the match.

The Trojans carried their momentum into the third set, capitalizing on Broncbuster miscues to open up breathing room. Andrea Djordjevic and Beatriz Da Cruz worked to keep Garden City in the fight, each finishing with 11 kills apiece. Still, Trinidad State held their edge, taking the frame 25–19.

Set four was a battle of grit and resilience. The teams traded points deep into the set, with Garden City relying on Bond's eight total kills and Duru Karagoz's four timely blocks. Defensive anchors Reis (22 digs) and Kamdyn Carr (17 digs) kept the Busters within striking distance. But late errors proved costly again, and despite pushing to 23–24, Garden City couldn't extend the match, falling 23–25.

Garden City (1–1) split its opening day at the Scooter's Coffee Invite, highlighting both its firepower and areas for growth heading into Saturday's matches.