Free State High won just one of its three matches Thursday night in a quadrangular that featured the Firebirds, Shawnee Mission East, Pembroke Hill and Olathe Northwest.

Free State's Banaka Okwuone cheers after scoring a point against Pembroke Hill. The Firebirds won the match Thursday night at FSHS.

Free State defeated Pembroke Hill 2-0, but fell to Olathe Northwest and Shawnee Mission East, each by a 2-1 count.

Free State coach Nancy Hopkins said her team struggled with consistency, and Thursday night was an example of that.

“We are almost there,” Hopkins said. “These were all beatable teams, and we are talented enough to beat them. We just need to play more consistently.”

In their first match, the Firebirds easily defeated Pembroke Hill in two games, 25-11 and 25-8. Junior outside hitter Kelsey Harrison, who combined for 30 kills in the three matches, had 11 kills in the first game.

It was the Firebirds’ opponents in their second and third matches that caused problems.

Free State lost its second match against Olathe Northwest.

The Firebirds got down early, losing 25-15 in the first game. They rebounded in the second game, 25-15, forcing a third game.

In game three, the Firebirds traded points with the Ravens early, but could not maintain enough momentum to win the game. The Firebirds lost the deciding game 25-18.

The Ravens’ tough defense was the primary reason the Firebirds could not get any offensive production in the third game.

Harrison said game three was frustrating because the Firebirds were hitting the ball well, but just could not get it past the Ravens defense.

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“Everything we were hitting they were picking up,” Harrison said. “We fought hard and we thought we could win; we just didn’t finish.”

The Firebirds’ third match against Shawnee Mission East had a different storyline but the same ending.

Unlike their second match, the Firebirds came out strong in game one. At one point in the first game, the Firebirds led 21-14. The Lancers rallied back to make the score 24-18, but the Firebirds held them off for a 25-18 win.

Free State High's Melanie Chaussee spikes during the Firebirds' match against Pembroke Hill. FSHS went 1-2 at a quad Thursday at Free State.

The momentum Free State lost at the end of the first game carried over in game two. Free State never led and lost 25-17, forcing another third game to determine the match winner.

In game three, the Firebirds matched the Lancers point for point early in the game. The two teams were tied at 10 points each, but the Lancers rattled off a scoring run and quickly gained a 17-12 advantage, a lead that was too large for the Firebirds to overcome. Free State lost the third game 25-21.

Senior outside hitter Banaka Okwuone said the Firebirds played tired in the last game and could not stop the Lancers’ offensive attack.

“We were really lethargic,” Okwuone said. “We had problems returning the ball and with stoppage.”

Hopkins was unhappy throughout the last two games with several long breaks in play because of officiating questions.

“It is hard to get any momentum going when they are stopping play for five and 10 minutes,” she said.

Despite the two losses, Hopkins said the match was good for her team because it revealed what they need to work on before sub-state. She said playing well consistently was an ailment for her team.

“We played really well sometimes and sometimes we didn’t,” Hopkins said. “We need these games though so we know what we have to work on.”