The Escambia Academy Cougars volleyball team had a tough loss to a strong Morgan Academy team on Thursday afternoon. The team lost six sets of play, with the first four deciding scores being 25-14, 25-15, 25-20, and 25-17.

Despite the loss, the team is still in second place in their area.

The team’s captain, Breann Rolin, said win or lose, she’s encouraged by the overall improvement she’s seen over the course of the season.

“I am very proud of my team,” Rolin said. “We’ve come a long way from the beginning.”

Rolin is one of two members of the team who have been nominated as an AISA volleyball All-Star. The other is teammate Sydney McGhee.

Head coach Erica Hammonds said her team has shown resiliency throughout the season.

“They really tried to move well together,” Hammonds said. “They didn’t give up. They never quit.”

Challenges lie ahead for the team as the season winds down.

“I’d like to see them play a lot better in their next game on Tuesday because it will be really good practice for our regional tournament,” Hammonds said.

The Lady Cougars will host Clarke Prep School Tuesday, Oct. 2 with both a JV and Varsity game at the school in Canoe.