Junior Tealey Farquhar eyes the ball during Saturday’s bracket-play matches at the Clifton tournament. After winning two of their three pool-play matches Thursday, the Lady Badgers were eliminated after consecutive losses Saturday. PHOTO BY RICHARD AKRIDGE The Lady Badgers are learning to let go.

Unfortunately, they are learning the hard way.

After posting a 2-1 record at the first day of the Clifton Invitational Volleyball Tournament Thursday, Lampasas earned its pool’s second seed and earned an opening-round match against West in the doubleelimination bracket play Saturday.

The Lady Badgers suffered a straight-set loss (25-23, 25-13) and fell into the consolation bracket where errors in judgment cost them a victory against Godley, according to head coach Beth Rutland.

“We were right there in it and almost got it done,” the second-year coach said. “I feel like we let one get away.

“So much of it was mental. We let a couple of calls in the middle of the third game slow us down.”

Lampasas lost the match by a score of 25-19, 27-29, 25-22 and tied for seventh overall.

Saturday’s defeats drops the Lady Badgers’ overall record to 4-3.

In Thursday’s pool play, Lampasas collected an easy victory over Rio Vista (25-19, 25-12) before an uninspired effort led to their first loss of the season against Lorena (25-20, 25-22).

Forced to play in consecutive matches, the Lady Badgers rebounded to cruise past Hamilton 25-7, 25-20.

Lampasas returns to the court tonight when it travels to Johnson City for a dual match against the host school and Canyon Lake. The Lady Badgers’ matches will be played at 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

“We need a big effort [at Johnson City],” Rutland said. “I think they will be hungry for a win.”