The Ballard varsity volleyball team put together a strong showing on Saturday at their home invitational, earning three wins against quality opponents before falling in a hard-fought battle with one of the state's top-ranked teams.

The Bombers opened the day with a dominant performance against West Marshall, sweeping the Trojans 21-7, 21-8.  In their second match, the Bombers squared off against Class 3A No. 11 Nevada.  After taking the first set 21-14, Ballard dropped the second 17-21 but regrouped in the decisive third set to finish strong with a 15-7 victory.

Momentum continued in the third match of the day as Ballard faced Class 5A No. 14 Johnston.  The Bombers stayed in control throughout, securing another sweep with set scores of 21-12 and 21-15.

The championship bracket came against Class 4A No. 2 Pella, where Ballard went toe-to-toe with one of the state's top teams.  Despite battling until the final point, the Bombers came up short in straight sets, 21-17 and 21-16.

With three wins on the day, Ballard improved its overall record to 9-5 (3-0)

Up Next: The Bombers host Class 4A No. 14 ADM in a key Raccoon River Conference matchup on Tuesday, Sept. 23, with first serve set for 5:30 PM.