Flathead marches on to title match

Bravettes rally to knock off Senior

BOZEMAN - One question.

Flathead head coach Christy Harkins had one question for the Bravette volleyball team members.

In the between-game huddle, after Flathead had just dropped into a 2-0 hole versus the No. 1-ranked Billings Senior Broncs, Harkins asked this question.

"Is it possible to win when you are down two games?"

She already knew the answer to that one.

The Bravettes led Helena High earlier this season by that same score - and Helena High won the match.

The Bravettes also remembered.

"We screamed: 'YES!'" said Flathead middle hitter Chelsea Vaudt.

It's very possible. So possible that the Flathead Bravettes downed Billings Senior 10-25, 22-25, 25-21, 28-26, 15-11.

The Bravettes will play for the Class AA state championship at 1 p.m. today.

Senior will play Bozeman at 11 a.m. today. The winner will be Flathead's opponent.

On Friday, Flathead came back to claim the third game, 25-21 and then won a dogfight in the fourth game, 28-26.

From there, the experience belonged to Flathead.

Billings Senior hadn't played a fifth game all season and had only played to four games once.

"When you haven't played a game 5, that's tough," Harkins said.

"I think that was a bit of an advantage for us," she said.

Flathead has played in two such matches - the above-mentioned Helena High contest and then a five-game win at Butte.

"We decided to show up to play in the second game. We decided we wanted it," Vaudt said.

"I think we were nervous," Vaudt said of the first game.

It showed.

The Bravettes made Senior look good as they lost 25-10.

"Senior came out fired up and handed it to us," Harkins said.

They lost the second game, too, but the turnaround had already started.

"We kept fighting," agreed outside hitter Kendalyn Habel.

"(The Broncs) are used to people just giving up. It was their turn to lose. We had nothing to lose," she said.

"I think the key is to stay within one or two points of them," she added.

That was the strategy as Flathead traded points with Senior through 10-10.

The break, when it came, was a deceiving kill by Emilee Hashley.

Hashley pushed the ball into the far corner of the court. It was so unexpected by Senior that two Bronc players collided trying to reach it.

A tip by Vaudt put Flathead ahead 12-10.

Senior called timeout - and got the next kill for the sideout, but served the next point wide to give Flathead a 13-11 lead.

Habel jump served the next two points - and Chelsea and Ashlea Vaudt took care of business at the net. The two combined for a block, and Ashlea tipped match point to an open hole.

Habel finished the night with 15 kills, 13 digs and three service aces. Hashley added 13 kills and three aces and Vaudt contributed nine blocks.

"I think we frustrated them," Vaudt said. "We put up a big block and we fought right to the end. They got the touches and the big swings, but we didn't let it get to us.

"Our defensive specialists did such a great job. They brought fire and want. We played everything until the whistle blew," Vaudt said.

"I thought we made a lot of adjustments," the coach said. "(The Broncs) have so much firepower. We adjusted on defense.

"I'm on top of the world. This is a fantastic situation to be in," Harkins said.

"I can't say enough about these kids. They're amazing people.

"This tournament just means so much to all of us," she added. "We've had so many well-wishes for this. Community support has been fantastic and the kids really felt that."

Flathead def. Billings Senior 10-25, 22-25, 25-21,28-26, 15-11.

Kills - Flathead 51 (Kendalyn Habel 15, Emilee Hashley 13), Billings Senior 58) Kristin Carroll 17, Ashley Wellborn 15), Assists - Flathead 45 (Lindsay Ingram 33), Billings Senior 50 (Emily Carroll 49), Blocks - Flathead 12 (Chelsea Vaudt 9), Billings Senior 8 (Jillian Bates 5, Kelly O'Malley 4), Digs - Flathead 46 (Kendalyn Habel 13, Ashley Robinson 12), Billings Senior 92 (Sara Kennedy 36, Emily Carroll 13, Ashley Wellborn 12). Aces - Flathead 8 (Kendalyn Habel 3, Emilee Hashley 3), Billings Senior 11 (Kelly O'Malley 4, Ashley Wellborn 3).

Friday

CLASS AA

Helena Capital def. Butte 14-25, 25-22, 28-26, 25-21, lo

Bozeman def. Missoula Sentinel 25-17, 25-20, 22-25, 25-18, lo

Billings West def. Helena Capital 26-24, 25-18, 25-18, lo

Bozeman def. Billings Skyview 26-24, 25-22, 19-25, 12-25, 15-8, lo

Kalispell def. Billings Senior 10-25, 22-25, 25-21, 28-26, 15-11, sf

Bozeman def. Billings West 12-25, 25-23, 26-24, 12-25, 18-16, loser 4th