'Dogs outlast Loggers

The Daily Inter Lake

LIBBY - The Whitefish Lady Bulldogs are headed to the Class A state volleyball tournament.

The Bulldogs outlasted host Libby 25-22, 20-25, 22-25, 25-21, 15-11 in the semifinals of the Northwestern A divisional volleyball tournament Friday.

Whitefish, the No. 1 seed, defeated Ronan earlier in the day.

The victory put the Bulldogs into today's championship match and ensures their eighth straight appearance at the state tournament.

"We just can't seem to get over the top with Whitefish," a disappointed Libby coach Cindy Ostrem-Johnston said afterward.

Other scores: Ronan defeated Polson 25-19, 25-18, 26-28, 26-24; Columbia Falls defeated Bigfork 25-22, 25-14, 25-18; Whitefish defeated Ronan 23-25, 25-21, 25-16, 25-20; and Libby defeated Bigfork 26-24, 25-19, 26-24.

"Whitefish played hard. We played hard. It was a hard-fought match," Ostrem-Johnston said.

Whitefish took the early lead by winning the first game, but Libby won the next two and had some momentum midway through the fourth game.

"But there were times that I thought out on the floor, they kind of lost their confidence," she said. "We need to change that for (today).

"There were times they showed a great amount of confidence today and a lot of desire to win," Ostrem-Johnston added.

Nicole Rowan led the Loggers with 22 kills, followed by Sam Schultz with 20.

"Sam Schultz really stepped up her play in both matches today," Ostrem-Johnston said.

Schultz made just five hitting errors in the semifinal match and also had 10 digs. She had 20 in Libby's win over Bigfork.

"She was just a digging machine for us all day," the coach said.

"Nicole Rowan and Erin Bothman both played well for us," she added.

Middle hitter Tracy Schwada led Whitefish with 12 kills and nine blocks, followed by freshman Ashley Ferda with 10. Ferda also had 16 digs. Shalyn Aurand added 16 digs, Katie Hodges had three blocks and Mandy McFadden 33 assists.

The Loggers now have to get ready for a 3 p.m. loser-out match against either Ronan or Columbia Falls.

Libby swept both teams during the regular season, but lost to Columbia Falls at the Missoula Invitational.

"We can't ride on that, the fact we beat both teams during the year. We've got to come out and play tough all the way through.

"That was a tough loss to Whitefish, but we talked about that, then they started getting focused for (today's) match. They know what has to be done."

The Loggers are hoping for another shot at the Bulldogs in the championship, but they aren't getting ahead of themselves.

"It would be dangerous to overlook (the winner of Columbia Falls/Ronan). Everybody is playing tough over here."

Whitefish 3, Ronan 1

Ashley Ferda turned in 12 kills and 16 digs as the top-seeded Whitefish Bulldogs downed Ronan 23-25, 25-21, 25-16, 25-20 Friday in the second round of the Northwestern A divisional volleyball tournament.

McFadden contributed 29 set assists and served four aces and Hodges and Courtney Ferda added five blocks apiece for the Bulldogs.

Deserie Krell led Ronan with eight kills, 33 digs and two aces.

Libby 3, Bigfork 0

Nicole Rowan blasted 16 kills, had 10 digs and three aces as No. 2 seed Libby swept Bigfork 26-24, 25-19, 26-24.

The Loggers had 44 kills to 20 for the Vals.

Erin Bothman contributed 32 assists and Crystal Decker served six aces for the Loggers.

Mary Hall led Bigfork with six kills, 16 digs and two aces.

Loser out

Ronan 3, Polson 1

Jamie Lake had 13 kills and Kira Crenshaw another 11 as the Ronan Maidens defeated Polson in a Friday loser-out game.

Scores were 25-19, 25-18, 26-28, 26-24.

As a team, the Maidens (9-9) had 49 kills to 34 for the Lady Pirates.

Setter Brooke Cornelius turned in 35 assists to help the Maiden effort and Krell added 19 digs.

Tami Bonkowski paced the Pirates with eight kills, 19 digs. Janell Lundeen contributed eight kills, 11 digs and six service aces. The Pirates ended their season at 3-15.

C-Falls 3, Bigfork 0

Nikki Freebury turned in 12 kills and five service aces while Dani Herman added nine kills and five aces as Columbia Falls downed Bigfork 25-22, 25-14, 25-18 in loser-out play.

Setter Kate Marcille contributed 30 assists and 10 digs.

Hall led Bigfork - which finished the season at 12-5 - with eight kills, four aces and a block.

Northwestern A divisional boxes

Winners bracket

Whitefish def. Ronan 23-25, 25-21, 25-16, 25-20

Kills - Ronan 39 (Kira Crenshaw 10, Cambrie Starkel 8, Deserie Krell 8), Whitefish 36 (Ashley Ferda 12), Assists - Ronan 32 (Brooke Cornelius 24, Starkel 4), Whitefish 35 (Mandy McFadden 29), Digs - Ronan 101 (Krell 33, Jamie Lake 17), Whitefish 77 (A. Ferda 16), Blocks - Ronan 8 (Lake 3, Cornelius 2), Whitefish 17 (Courtney Ferda 5, Katie Hodges 5), Aces - Ronan 6 (Krell 2), Whitefish 11 (McFadden 4).

Libby def. Bigfork 26-24, 25-19, 26-24

Kills - Bigfork 20 (Whitney Wilson 7, Mary Hall 6), Libby 44 (Nicole Rowan 16, Rose Young 9), Assists - Bigfork 13 (Kaia Lock 7, Cayla Fox 5), Libby 39 (Erin Bothman 32), Digs - Bigfork 55 (Ashley Brunette 25, Hall 16), Libby 52 (Sam Schultz 20, Rowan 10), Blocks - Bigfork 3 (Trisha Smith 1, Wilson 1, Brunette 1), Libby 1 (Karen Burns/Rose Young), Aces - Bigfork 5 (Hall 2), Libby 11 (Crystal Decker 6, Rowan 3).

Semifinals

Whitefish def. Libby 25-22, 20-25, 22-25, 25-21, 15-11

Kills - Libby 60 (Nicole Rowan 22, Sam Schultz 20), Whitefish - 38 (Tracy Schwada 12, Ashley Ferda 10); Assists - Libby 46 (Erin Bothman 44), Whitefish 35 (Mandy McFadden 33); Blocks - Libby 7 (Bothman 3, Rose Young 2), Whitefish 18 (Schwada 9); Digs 36 (Rowan 11, Schultz 10), Whitefish 72 (Shalyn Aurand 16, A. Ferda 16); Aces - Libby 14 (Bothman 6), Whitefish 7 (Katie Hodges 3).

Loser out

Ronan def. Polson 25-19, 25-18, 26-28, 26-24

Kills - Polson 34 (Janell Lundeen 8, Tami Bonkowski 8, Emily Fors 7), Ronan 49 (Jamie Lake 13, Kira Crenshaw 11); Assists - Polson 30 (Jaelin Vanderberg 15, Dylen Zetterberg 14), Ronan 41 (Brooke Cornelius 35); Digs - Polson 74 (Bonkowski 19, Lundeen 11, Fors 11, Jessica Bowers 11), Ronan - 69 (Deserie Krell 19, Bridget Taylor 12) Aces - Polson 16 (Lundeen 6, Bowers 5), Ronan 10 (Krell 3); Blocks - Polson 6 (Jennifer Gallatin 3), Ronan 5 (No leader).

Columbia Falls def. Bigfork 25-22, 25-14, 25-18

Kills - Columbia Falls 32 (Nikki Freebury 12, Dani Herman 9, Shanelle Swift 7), Bigfork 23 (Mary Hall 8); Assists - Columbia Falls 30 (Kate Marcille 30), Bigfork 18 (Kaia Lock 7, Cayla Fox 8); Digs - Columbia Falls 100 (Marcille 10, Dona Burns 10), Bigfork 30 (Ashley Brunette 8, Sami Wade 7, Hall 4); Blocks - Columbia Falls 5 (Holly Peek 4), Bigfork 4 ( Whitney Wilson 1, Leslie Johnson 1, Hall 1, Brunette 1); Aces - Columbia Falls 16 (Freebury 5, Herman 5), Bigfork 1 (Wade 1).