It was a rough week for the West Fargo Packer volleyball squad two weeks ago.

After placing fourth at the Fargo Tournament, their first shot at a couple of the big squads from out West, the Packers were knocked from the ranks of the regional unbeaten, losing at their own gym to Fargo South on Oct. 11 and falling in four sets to Grand Forks Red River in the Grand Cities. The two losses dropped West Fargo into a tie for the overall lead in the Eastern Dakota Conference, albeit temporarily.

West Fargo regained its lead in the conference points on Oct. 15, when they rocked Devils Lake to get back in the win column. They extended that lead last week, and in dominating fashion, as the Pack dismissed Valley City at home on Tuesday, then hosted Shanley on Saturday for a weekend match. The Packers swept the Deacons, for a perfect 6-0 record on the week, and haven't dropped a game in their last three matches.

Stepping up has been center Tiff Gjestvang, who pounded out double-digit kills against the Firebirds in the rebound win and was the team lead again with eight against Shanley last Saturday. Jessica Holaday, a sophomore, has also stepped up on the outside, knocking down nine kills in the Pack's win over Valley City, and adding five more in the win over the Deacons.

";She's young but she's a strong player,"; head coach Nikki Peterson said of Holaday. ";She'll get her chances.";

Another story for the Pack has been the fill-in play of sophomore setter Sadie Doggett, who stumbled a bit in the losses to South and Red River as the sole setter for the Packers while Mary Michael Vance, a junior, recovered from a shoulder injury. Vance returned last week, but Doggett was steady in the win over the Hi-Liners last Tuesday, leading the squad with 14 assists.

";We know she's going to step in and do well,"; Gjestvang said. ";We expect that.";

The Packers will have two more contests where they will be favored this week, traveling to Wahpeton Tuesday night as this edition of the Pioneer hits the press, then hosting Jamestown at West Fargo this Thursday. On Tuesday, Nov. 1, they'll travel across town to Fargo North for a key game, as a win would preserve the No. 1 seeding heading into the region tournament, which starts on Thursday, Nov. 10 at Grand Forks Central.

";Really, we think we can play with anybody, so it's just a matter of putting it together and getting the job done,"; Vance said. ";Whether we're undefeated or not doesn't matter. It's where we are at the end of the season.";