The Bobcats (7-11, 0-3) lost 25-15, 25-12, 25-16 as Valley picked up its 20th win in a row while remaining unbeaten in the CIML Iowa Conference.

“I think the learning lessons are No. 1 if you want to get better you have to play the best,” Marshalltown head coach Chris Brees said. “They are ranked in the top-3 for a reason. What you take away from that is that we never talked about winning the game or losing the game. We talked about competing. I feel like we did that a little bit more in Game 3 but we have to play harder in Games 1 and 2 and not play scared.”

In the first set, MHS led early 4-3 but Valley (25-3, 3-0) went on a 10-1 run to take a 13-5 lead. The Bobcats responded and cut the deficit to 18-14 before the Tigers closed out the set with a 7-1 surge.

In Set 2, Valley opened with a 10-2 lead that Marshalltown was not able to overcome as the Tigers extended their lead to as many as 14 points before taking the set.

T-R PHOTO BY ANDREW ABADIE - Bobcat senior Mayah Carson, right, goes up for the attack as Madi Finch, left, Kyra Feldman (8) and head coach Chris Brees, far right, watch intently during Tuesday’s volleyball match with Valley.

In the final set, MHS and Valley were tied at 6-all before the Tigers broke away with a 19-10 lead. Marshalltown responded late with a 5-1 run but could not overcome the deficit.

Brees gave credit to both Valley’s defense and serving as being the difference-makers in the match.

“Their defense is great but they served the heck out of the ball,” Brees said. “They were flat and they were creeping up on us which we barely got our middles involved in the game because they kept us behind the 10-foot line all the time. Part of it was the serving but also when you hear them hit the ball it has a different sound to it.

“They got us out of system way early with their serve. With their defense, they knew where we we’re going to set the ball. They’d line their defense up and then it was a free ball for them.”

Gabby Himes led Marshalltown with nine kills which Brees called her strongest performance of the season.

T-R PHOTO BY ANDREW ABADIE

“[Himes] is a left-handed hitter who plays the right side,” Brees said. “We just had to do something different. We were looking for everything that we could by changing the lineup and giving different passes in there. We decided to move the left-handed hitter on the left side instead of the right side which is not typical and she had eight kills in that last game. That’s huge. She ended up with nine or 10 kills with three errors which is the best hitting game she’s had all season. I’m really proud of how she responded and tried to get us energy on the left side.”

Madi Finch totaled 17 assists for the Bobcats while Mayah Carson led the team with her seven digs.

“These are the type of the games that I don’t rest any laurels on,” Brees said. “They are a really good team. What I am looking at is that we have Mason City, we go down to Oskaloosa which every team in that tournament is beatable if we play our best. We have the opportunity if we play our best to put up 10 more wins. That’s what we need to be focused on. We’re not going to let this loss depress we are just looking to pick up 8-to-10 wins in the next two weeks.”

Marshalltown will go on the road to play Mason City on Oct. 8.