Oxford High’s varsity volleyball took three tough losses against elite opponents on Sept. 5.

In their first match of the night against the Flushing Raiders, the Wildcats dropped the first set 25-17. They made more progress in the second, but couldn’t hold on and lost it 25-22.

Clarkston also proved a tough opponent for the Wildcats, with the Wolves sweeping the match in just two sets with scores of 25-19 and 25-21.

In their final match of the night, the ladies faced off against North Branch, which is known for its elite volleyball program. The Wildcats fell in two sets of 25-14 and 25-18.

Though the girls lost the three matches, Head Coach Brian Kim thinks his team put in a good effort against these particularly tough teams. Sydney Richter led the Wildcats with 14 kills and 16 digs, and Emma LaBarge trailed just behind Richter with 10 kills. Maddy Weiss also put in a fair offensive effort with 30 assists throughout the night.

Defensively, McKenzie Miller led the Wildcats with 26 digs.

Going forward, Kim said the team will focus its efforts on defense.

“(We) look to improve in serve receive when we play these teams further into the season,” he said.

The team’s record is 11-9

Volleyball will take the court again on Sept. 13 on the road against Lake Orion.