Whitefish spikers thinking 3-peat

Dogs start slow again, but stop Dillon

BOZEMAN - Dare we to think it?

Could there be a three-peat in the making at the Class A state volleyball tournament?

Maybe.

The Whitefish Bulldogs are going to get a chance at it today.

The two-time defending state champs downed Dillon in the winners' bracket semifinal Friday 19-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-18.

The loss was Dillon's first of the tournament. It will take on Belgrade at 11 a.m. today. The winner of that match will face Whitefish in the championship at 3 p.m. at Brick Breeden Field House on the Montana State University campus.

If Whitefish does win, it would join Hardin (1993-95) as the only other Class A volleyball team to win three state championships in a row.

Missoula Sentinel won four straight (1984-1988). The Spartans' 1984 title was as Class AA/A.

In Class B, Roundup won four straight (2000-2003) and Bridger claimed five Class C titles between 1995 and 1999. Bridger then added three more titles between 2003-2004. Two of those three were during 2003 when volleyball changed from a winter to a fall sport.

The Bulldogs started Friday night in what has become typical fashion for them- they lost the first game, 19-25.

The plan seems to be … drop the first game, then settle in, be steady and win the next three.

"I'm struggling with it, but they're OK," laughed Whitefish head coach Jackie Fuller.

"They're all right. I guess if that's the way they want to play, that's the way we're going to play," she smiled.

"I don't like it."

Setter Kali Schmidt wasn't too sure if she likes that plan, either.

"It seems to be working OK," she said.

"(The Beavers) were hitting very well (in the first game) and their libero was very good. They passed great, their defense was great. They're a very good team."

But, she added, the loss was more on Whitefish's side of the net in that first game.

"I think it was just us, mentally," she said.

"In the second game, we got a lot more communication going, got fired up, got more excited," Schmidt said.

Between games, Fuller just asked the Bulldogs to settle in and "start believing in each other.

"We focused in more on serving," she said.

"Kellie Kalbfleisch served some crucial points to get us moving," she said.

And blocking?

"Holy smokes, we got some good blocks," she added.

"Brielle Menegazzi and Libbie Anderson did a super job."

Whitefish had 16 blocks to 10 for the Beavers.

Menegazzi finished the night with seven stuff blocks and Anderson had three. Schmidt also had three blocks.

Kill-wise, it was the Ferda cousins, Ashley and Courtney with 17 and 10, respectively. Courtney Ferda added 12 digs, Ashley Ferda 11 and Kaitlin O'Leary had 10.

But while their fans are celebrating, the Bulldogs are remembering they are high school students. They are high school students with a ton of homework to get done.

To that end, they've spent two hours each day in study hall.

So, while everyone else is shopping, having lunch, hanging out, watching today's 'Cat-Griz game, the Bulldogs will be ensconced in their hotel lobby … reading,

"That's just to have them ready to play," Fuller explained.

"We try to keep them in a pattern. We've done this for years. Our kids expect it. Teachers send tests with them," she said.

"We keep it as normal as possible, because (today) we better be at our best."

Whitefish def. Dillon 19-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-18

Kills - Whitefish 39 (Ashley Ferda 17, Courtney Ferda 10), Dillon 42 (Hayley Pettit 17), Assists - Whitefish 35 (Kali Schmidt 35), Dillon 40 (Shannon Judge 38), Blocks - Whitefish 16 (Brielle Menegazzi 7, Kali Schmidt 3, Libbie Anderson 3), Dillon 10 (Grace Zitzer 5), Digs - Whitefish 63 (Courtney Ferda 12, Ashley Ferda 11, Kaitlin O'Leary 10), Dillon 58 (Shandi Samson 23, Bonnie Gardner 23). Aces - Whitefish 12 (Courtney Ferda 4, Schmidt 2, Ashley Ferda 2, Hailey Farmin 2), Dillon 2 (Susanne Peltse 1, Abbi Hoerning 1).

Friday

CLASS A

Anaconda def. Billings Central 20-25, 25-19, 25-23, 25-21, lo

Lewistown def. Eureka 25-16, 25-18, 29-27, lo

Miles City def. Anaconda 25-18, 25-22, 21-25, 25-15, lo

Belgrade def. Lewistown, 13-25, 25-23, 16-25, 25-18, 15-12, lo

Whitefish def. Dillon 19-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-18, sf

Belgrade def. Miles City 27-25, 25-21, 25-21, loser 4th