BLOOMING PRAIRIE — The Awesome Blossoms volleyball team stepped up their defensive game, but they couldn’t find enough offensive attacks at they lost to Goodhue (9-8 overall, 3-4 Gopher) by scores of 25-21, 23-25, 25-18, 25-21 in BP Monday.

BP (7-13 overall, 3-4 Gopher) stayed active in the back row as Bria Baldwin had 26 digs, Lauren Larkoski had 20 digs to go with her 14 kills and Leah Inwards had 21 digs.

BP trailed the final game 23-13 before it rallied back to get within 24-21, but it couldn’t complete the comeback.

“This was a really good overall match,” BP head coach Ranell Kittelson said. “I told the girls that tonight is probably the most I’ve seen them come together. Even though we lost, I don’t think it shows exactly how well we came together tonight. We played so hard on defense and serve receive. Not a lot of balls were dropping tonight.”

The Blossoms were tied 20-20 in the first game before the Wildcats pulled away and BP bounced back in the second game by leading throughout most of that contest.

Kittelson said she he’s hoping her squad can develop a more balanced attack.

“We need to incorporate our middle hitters more,” she said. “Right now we’re a pretty predictable offense because we go outside a lot.”

BP stats: Lauren Larkoski, 14 kills, 20 digs; Courtney Wobschall, 9 kills, 3 blocks; Alyssa Krohnberg, 8 kills, 3 blocks; Abby Wayne, 35 set assists, 5 kills, 1 block; Marissa Larson, 4 kills, 1 block; Leah Inwards, 3 kills, 2 blocks, 2 ace seves, 21 digs; Samantha Wurst, 2 blocks; Bria Baldwin, 26 digs