The overall play was improved for the Albert Lea High School volleyball team, but it wasn’t enough to overcome United South Central.

The Tigers lost 3-0 to the visiting Rebels in a nonconference match at ALHS Tuesday night.

&uot;I liked our intensity tonight,&uot; said first-year Albert Lea head coach Preston Peper. &uot;We were scrappy. We hung with them point for point. We just had more little unforced errors than they did and it was probably the difference in the match. We definitely played better than we did last week against Rochester Century.&uot;

The Tigers were 31-for-35 at the service line.

Individual leaders: Katherine Ladwig 8-for-9 serving, one ace, 15 digs; Heather Hovland 6-for-8 serving, three aces, seven digs; Stacy Schlobohm nine digs, four kills; Elise Austad 7-for-8 serving, one ace, four digs; Brooke Woitas five digs, three kills.

Andrea Schultz and Maggie Giese led the Rebels, coming off the championship in Saturday’s Truman Invitational. USC improved its record to 9-2.

Peper said the Tigers missed regular starter Stacie Thisius, who missed her second straight match with mononucleosis. She’ll also miss Thursday’s match and will be re-evaluated next week.

&uot;Losing one of our starters is hurting us as a team,&uot; said Peper. &uot;But we played better tonight and pulled together as a team. We just had some unforced errors down the stretch that USC was able to capitalize on.&uot;

The Tigers fell to 2-12-1 with the loss. They return to Big Nine play Thursday at home against Faribault. The Rebels play Thursday at Medford.