Hobbton’s Lady Wildcats gave it all they had Saturday in the first round of the state volleyball playoffs, but the thing that has hampered them all year — points on serve rotation — put an end to their season. Hobbton lost in three — 25-17; 25-11; 25-20.

But coach Russell Jones said he was proud of this team and the effort they gave Saturday.

“I thought they hung in there, and I’m really happy with the way they finished their season,” Jones said of the matchup between Hobbton and the Patriots. “We were right there with them the whole time.”

In the first set, Jones said the game stayed close, at 9-8, then 13-16 for most of the game. “It was the difference in serve rotation. We served 10 times and got 17 points, we were getting 1 and they’d be getting 2, and suddenly that’s the difference in the game.”

The Lady ‘Cats hung with the Patriots in the second set as well until the Patriots came up with what Jones called nine “fantastic” serves in a row. “They spread it out and we simply couldn’t get back in it.”

The third game, he said, was tighter, with basically a 3-point spread for much of the set.”

In the end, the Patriots simply had a little more juice.

“The girls gave it a good shot, and I was proud of them,” Jones said. “They did all I ask them to do, and I was pleased that they worked so hard to get a shot in the tournament. They gave it their all.”