Coach Gina Eppen said there’s one consistency with the Albert Lea High School volleyball team at this point.

The Tigers are inconsistent.

&uot;Our inconsistent play is what is consistent with us right now,&uot; said Eppen.

It was evidenced again Monday in an up-and-down 3-2 loss to Winona. After losing 15-9 and 15-8, the Tigers bounced back to win 15-2 and 15-13 before dropping the deciding game 15-1.

&uot;Winona is a scrappy team, to their credit, but we just mentally shut down in the fifth game,&uot; said Eppen. &uot;It’s something we need to address &045; maintaining our mental intensity the whole time.&uot;

The Tigers’ pattern of falling behind early continued in the first two games.

&uot;Then we sat down and decided game three was a must-win situation,&uot; said Eppen. &uot;And the girls really rose to that challenge. We fell behind again in game four, but the girls just dug in and decided they were going to win that one too.&uot;

The Tigers served 90 percent, going 81-for-90, with 10 aces.

Individual leaders: Whitney Sorenson 11 kills, four blocks, two aces, seven digs; Christina Berggren four kills, one block, one ace five digs; Emily Thompson seven kills; Ashley Chrz three kills, 12 assists; Leah Boyer one kill, seven assists, four aces, six digs.

The Tigers, 1-4 overall and 0-2 in the Big Nine, face conference leader Mankato West Thursday in the ALHS gym. The Scarlets are 4-0 in the Big Nine.