Lexia Hostrawser attempts a dig for Triton during a Hoosier North Athletic Conference match with North Judson-San Pierre Wednesday night. (Photos by James Costello)

BOURBON — Triton volleyball showed its youth at times on the court Wednesday night, and the Blue Slam took their first Hoosier North Athletic Conference loss to visiting North Judson-San Pierre in three games at the Trojan Trench, 25-20, 25-12, 25-23.

“We’ll watch some game film of this. They’ll get to see themselves a little bit, ask a few questions. They’ll say ‘Oh, OK. Yeah. Alright.’ And then we’ll come out, and we’ll practice. We’ll keep getting better,” said Triton head coach Gayle Perry.

Judson got a boost from sophomore Lauren Cox, who did a little bit of everything for the Lady Jays with two solo and four block assists, seven digs and 12 kills. Perry had scouted Cox and her players knew what to expect, but the Blue Slam occasionally lost track of her on the court.

“North Judson is a really good team. Obviously that Cox chic is really good,” said Perry. “We were basically just consumed by her in the first two and yet didn’t play very smart knowing where she was. We knew she was going to be good coming in, but I thought we could’ve countered a little better.”

Triton’s Hannah Wanemacher (3) and Charlotte Morris (14) try to block an attack by Judson’s Alex Radtke while Makenzie Harper looks on Wednesday.

Triton senior outside hitter Nicole Sechrist more than matched Cox at the net with a match-high 13 kills and three solo blocks, but the home team couldn’t find a combination to equal Cox and teammate Macy Reimbold, as the duo combined for 22 kills. After Sechrist, the Blue Slam’s next highest kill tallies were the four each by Charlotte Morris, Lexia Hostrawser and Emma Ross as setter Hannah Wanemacher passed out 24 assists to her hitters to go with a solid defensive performance that featured eight digs.

Triton’s statistical leaders weren’t surprising considering that four of those names — Sechrist, Wanemacher, Morris and Ross — represent Triton’s only returning varsity experience from last season. The Blue Slam have yet to develop their young talent despite glimpses in practice, most notably from hitters Hostrawser and Abby Viers, says Perry.

“We don’t understand that when we have the ball, we have power. We have control. Not all of us,” she said. “Sechrist sees it that way, Wanemacher does, and I think Morris does. But other than that nobody else does.

“As of now, when someone else hits the ball other than Sechrist or Morris, it’s more relief than it is ‘Oh, I did that.’ Now we have some of those moments in practice, but we don’t see them in matches.”

Triton played well late in games one and three Wednesday, but slow starts in those games ultimately doomed the home team. Judson jumped out to an 8-1 start in the first set and quickly led by double digits at 13-3. The Trojans rallied with an 8-2 spurt during a run of service points by junior libero Sydney Musilli and eventually whittled their deficit down to four points but never got out front. Trailing 24-17, the Blue Slam held off the Jays for three straight points but ultimately succumbed 25-20 with a Reimbold kill.

Triton was never really in an out-of-sorts second game, but the Trojans regrouped in the third game, pretty much going blow for blow with Judson throughout. The final game saw a total of seven lead changes and 12 ties — the last as late as 22-22 on a Wanemacher back set and Sechrist kill — but a misserve and a Reimbold ace helped spark a 3-1 match-ending run by the visitors and sealed the Blue Slam’s first HNAC defeat.

Triton’s Abby Viers attacks while Judson’s Alex Radtke defends the net.

“That goes to score recognition. We don’t know that we’re close or where we’re at because we don’t look at the scoreboard, and that’s what young teams do. They play, and they’re so happy when they win a rally but they don’t understand the situation,” explained Perry. “We had serve, and Cox was in the back row that third game. Just keep the ball in. Your team is winning points. They can’t stop Sechrist now. So she’s running out of the right, out of the left. I’ve got her in the middle. We have a run on points, but does the server know it? No, not a clue. Doesn’t recognize it at all. It’s all about where am I going to get an ace serve? And that’s, again, experience, learning. We’re not there yet.”

While Judson improves to 9-3 with a 1-0 HNAC start, Triton slips to 5-4 and 2-1 in the conference. The Trojans look to rebound in a road match at Tippecanoe Valley tonight before hosting an eight-team invitational Saturday.

“We just came off Labor Day weekend, and we did take two days off just because I thought the kids needed a little break. We’ll get back on it,” Perry said. “We play Valley tomorrow night, and they’re going to be just as tough. On the job training again. We’ll see how we rebound back.”