Lady Cougars Volleyball Battle Eastern Hills on Appreciation Night.

Friday night at Western Hills was about more than volleyball.

With the gym packed with students, families, fans, and educators, the Lady Cougars used Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night to recognize the teachers, administrators, coaches, support staff, athletic coordinators, and game-day workers who pour into students year-round.

Then it was time to play.

Western Hills faced Eastern Hills, looking to build momentum in its first season under head coach Rheagan Whitefield. The Lady Highlanders controlled the opening set, 25-11, but the Lady Cougars settled in and made the second much tighter before Eastern Hills escaped with a 25-22 win.

Western Hills was not ready to call it a night, though.

The Lady Cougars fought through a back-and-forth third set and gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about, pulling out a 28-26 win to extend the match. They carried that fight into the fourth before a late Eastern Hills push closed it out, 25-19.

The loss moves Western Hills to 1-20 overall and 0-6 in district play, but on a night set aside to honor those who keep showing up for students, the Lady Cougars showed up in plenty of ways themselves.

Western Hills returns to the road Tuesday at 7 p.m. against Diamond Hill-Jarvis, with both teams looking for their first district win.