The Austin volleyball team continued to show signs of improvement as it hung with the Awesome Blossoms for much of the night before it bowed out in four games in Packer Gym Tuesday.

The Packers held leads of at least four points in the last three games as it fell 25-13, 26-24, 21-25, 25-18 to Blooming Prairie.

The Packers (0-3 overall) were up 24-22 after an Abi Collins kill in game two, but BP bounced back to tie the game and Nicole Inwards served an ace and Madison Worke pounded a kill to win the game for BP (5-3 overall).

“It was nice to be challenged a little, but we obviously have some things to work on too,” Worke, who had 12 kills and 14 set assists, said. “I think we kind of came in here nonchalantly and we should’ve been more focused.”

Austin led throughout game three and it jumped out to an early 7-2 lead in the fourth game. Austin still led at 10-7, but BP eventually took over as the big hitting of Taylor Hagen, who had 13 kills, was too much for the Packers.

Austin head coach Cindy Owen liked the fight she saw in her team after it dropped the first game.

“It’s coming. We’re starting to battle and those kids were really hustling and moving their feet. When we’re attacking, we’re a good team,” Owen said. “You can’t tip against a team like Blooming. They are too quick and too powerful and they’re going to shove it right down your throat. Overall, I’m very proud of how the kids played tonight.”

BP looked dominant in the first game, but the Packers made life difficult for them in the next three contests. Alyssa Krohnberg stepped up for BP in game two as she served seven straight points, with two aces mixed in, to put the Blossoms up 18-15.

BP head coach Gina McLaughlin said her squad still needs to work on serve receive.

“[Austin has] improved and they had three consecutive strong servers in a row,” McLaughlin said. “We are still beefing up our serve receive. It was good for them and they got us a couple of times and it was good for us too, because we needed some of those reps.”

Austin senior Alex Hansen had her best match since she was a sophomore. Hansen, who missed last volleyball season with a knee injury, hammered down 10 kills and she came up with nine digs.

Hansen said she feels like she’s at full strength.

“It feels just fine. I feel one hundred percent now,” she said. “It was really hard to sit on the bench for a whole season [last year]. It’s pretty tough to just cheer on your teammates when you feel like you could turn around the game, but you can’t [because you’re hurt].”

Although they’re still looking for their first match win, the Packers are feeling good about where they are at this point in the season.

“Compared to last year and even two years before, it is such an improvement on how we played Blooming Prairie and Hayfield,” Hansen said. “We have a better attitude with each other on and off the court and we’re feeling like more of a family this year.”

Austin stats: Alex Hansen, 10 kills, 9 digs; Amber Hansen, 7 kills, 11 points serving; Shayley Vesel, 4 kills, 14 digs, 8 set assists, 4 blocks; Trista Akkerman, 2 kills, 5 blocks; Abi Collins, 2 kills; Kelsey Sederquest, 15 digs, 8 points serving, 4 ace serves; Marissa Hart, 12 set assists

BP stats: BP Stats: Taylor Hagen, 13 kills, 6 blocks, 4 digs; Madison Worke, 12 kills, 14 set assists, 3 blocks, 7 digs, 2 ace serves; Nicole Inwards, 2 ace serves, 17 digs; Abby Wayne, 13 set assists, 5 digs; Lauren Larkoski,  6 kills, 2 blocks, 1 ace, 100% serving, 7 digs; Molly Walsh, 3 kills, 2 blocks; Alyssa Krohnberg, 1 kill, 5 ace serves, 2 digs, 1 set assist