Whitefish gets back at Libby
Volleyball rivals split matches for the season
WHITEFISH - Together as a team and on the right track.
The Whitefish Lady Bulldogs avenged their one volleyball loss of the 2006 season Saturday with a 25-19, 25-21, 25-22 sweep of visiting Libby.
"We were ready. We were all in the locker room sitting there ready," said Whitefish senior outside hitter Libbie Anderson.
"They are a team and with each other, they're going to be thick," said Whitefish coach Jackie Fuller of the Bulldogs.
Anderson backed that up.
"Coach Fuller always tells us we are tied together and we need to move together," she said.
"They're a good team. They play with a lot of excitement, " Anderson said of the Loggers. Winning this match "is a big relief. Peak of my season, at least," she said.
Teamwork was the main difference between Saturday's win and the loss Sept. 14 in Libby.
"We played together more and we had fun," Anderson said.
They were so together the Bulldogs had no big statistical leader.
Senior middle hitter Courtney Ferda had 14 kills, junior middle hitter Brielle Menegazzi had four blocks and junior outside hitter Ashley Ferda 12 digs.
For a sweep, though, this was no runaway.
Libby hung right with the Bulldogs, despite having a less than spectacular evening.
The Loggers had leads in the final two games of the match.
"Moments of brilliance, but communications really broke down," said Lady Logger coach Cindy Ostrem-Johnston.
There was more than one instance in which a ball dropped between two Lady Loggers.
"We weren't in sync. I'm hoping this is a wake-up call for us. These kinds of things shouldn't be happening at this point in the season."
"This was a good match. We had to be at our best and we knew that," Fuller said.
"There was never a clear point to where either one of us stepped forward and gained control, no point where I think either team felt it was over," she said.
The biggest lead for either squad was just six points - Whitefish led 21-15 in the first game. Libby led the second game 20-18, but gave the lead away on a missed serve and kills by Courtney Ferda and Kaitlyn O'Leary.
The third game was back-and-forth.
Libby took an early 4-0 lead, but Whitefish climbed right back in on the serving of Kali Schmidt. From there, the teams traded points. Libby again gained a 20-18 advantage and Whitefish again got the timely kills to put away the game.
Freshman middle hitter Jackie Mee led Libby with seven kills and three blocks. Senior Karen Byrns added five kills and two blocks and junior Brooke Hageness had 11 digs and three service aces.
Both teams are now 9-1.
The issue of status in the Northwestern A conference was a subject of some debate. According to Fuller, the teams are tied. But Ostrem-Johnston believes Whitefish has the edge because the Bulldogs won Saturday night in three games while the Loggers won in five games earlier this season in Libby.
"Both of us have a long way to go," Fuller said. "We still have a lot to do. Right now, there are no 'firsts' in anything. Our kids can't rest."
Anderson agreed.
"We're working hard every single day in practice," Anderson said. "We're improving and working on keeping improving."
But nobody in a Bulldog uniform was celebrating too loudly.
"We need to go back in the gym on Monday and work the basics and keep working hard," Anderson said.
The Loggers, meanwhile, will also be going back to basics, according to Ostrem-Johnston.
"We'll work on coming back together, getting everything back together again - and definitely communication."
Kills - Libby 22 (Jackie Mee 7, Karen Byrns 5, Laice Dedrick 5, Whitefish 37 (Courtney Ferda 14). Assists - Libby 19 (Shelby Barton 19), Whitefish 33 (Kali Schmidt 29). Blocks - Libby 5 (Mee 3, Byrns 2); Whitefish 7 (Brielle Menegazzi 4). Digs - Libby 34 (Hageness 11, Dedrick 10, Whitefish 45 (Ashley Ferda 12). Aces - Libby 10 (Nichole Newman 4, Brooke Hageness 3), Whitefish 11 (Kellie Kalbfleisch 4).