Libby spikers in title match

The Daily Inter Lake

Whitefish, Bigfork and Columbia Falls still alive in divisional

RONAN - Libby punched its ticket to the All Class State Volleyball Tournament on Friday, rallying past Whitefish 25-15, 18-25, 24-26, 25-23, 15-13 in the semifinal of the Northwestern A tournament.

Libby also advances to the divisional championship match today at 5 p.m.

"I don't think it could have been any more exciting than it was," Libby coach Cindy Ostrem-Johnston said.

"It came down to the wire."

All five games were tight, decided by 10 points or less. The margins of victory in the final three games were all two points.

"Brooke Hageness said winners find a way to win," Ostrem-Johnston said.

"That quote came up again tonight.

"Laice Dedrick was on fire in the first game at the net. She had seven kills."

She finished with 13 for the match.

The Loggers came into the divisional as the top seed and did not lose a league match all season. Whitefish was the tournament's No. 2 seed.

Libby won the statistical battle in three of the five categories - aces with 16, kills with 57 and assists with 48.

Hageness led Libby in aces with six, kills with 14, stuff blocks with three (along with Jackie Mee) and digs with 20.

Shelby Barton finished with 38 assists.

Kate Klundt registered five of Whitefish's 13 blocks and Brielle Menegazzi and Ashley Ferda led a strong dig attack with 29 and 25, respectively.

Menegazzi also led the way for the Bulldogs in aces, four, and kills, 20.

Ferda was second in kills with 18.

"Whitefish played awesome defense against us," Ostrem-Johnson said.

"They made us really work putting the ball down."

Whitefish is still alive in loser-out play along with Columbia Falls and Bigfork. Columbia Falls and Bigfork meet today at noon. That winner plays Whitefish at 3 p.m.

The top two teams advance to state in Bozeman, Nov. 8-10.

"It was intense," Ostrem-Johnston said.

"I'm just proud of them for keeping their composure and getting it done tonight."

Libby def. Whitefish

25-15, 18-25, 24-26, 25-23, 15-13

Kills - Libby 57, Brooke Hageness 14, Laice Dedrick 13, Jackie Mee 9; Whitefish 49, Brielle Menegazzi 20, Ashley Ferda 18; Blocks - Libby 6, Hageness 3, Mee 3; Whitefish 13, Kate Klundt 5; Assists - Libby 48, Shelby Barton 38; Whitefish 44, Hailey Farmin 39; Digs - Libby 60, Hageness 20, Megan Wedel 13; Whitefish 84, Menegazzi 29, Ferda 25; Aces - Libby 16, Hageness 6, Wedel 3, Mee 3; Whitefish 8, Menegazzi 4.

Columbia Falls 3,

Polson 1

In the first loser-out match on the second day of play, Columbia Falls eliminated Polson 25-15, 25-18, 23-25, 25-18.

Alyssa Ladenburg had team highs for Columbia Falls in aces, three, kills, nine, and was second in digs with seven.

Sam Ladenburg also had three aces.

Staci Pence led the Wildkats in digs with 14.

Three players finished with seven kills for Polson - Nicole Davey, Aislinn Nielsen and Brianne Kelley.

Nielsen also led in stuff blocks with two.

Staci Benson had a Pirate high of 32 digs.

Columbia Falls def. Polson

25-15, 25-18, 23-25, 25-18

Kills - Columbia Falls 27, Alyssa Ladenburg 9; Polson 27, Nicole Davey 7, Aislinn Nielsen 7, Brianne Kelley 7; Blocks - Columbia Falls 1, Cedar Smith 1; Polson 5, Nielsen 2; Assists - Columbia Falls 22, Sarah Marcille 20; Polson 21, Kayla Duford 21; Digs - Columbia Falls 39, Staci Pence 14, Ladenburg 7; Polson 75, Staci Benson 32, Davey 15; Aces - Columbia Falls 10. A. Ladenburg 3, S. Ladenburg 3; Polson 5, Loni Havlovich 3.

Bigfork 3, Ronan 0

Roxanne Thurman turned in a solid all-around game with three aces, nine kills and 12 digs to lead Bigfork to a 25-21, 25-23, 25-18 loser-out victory over Ronan.

Thurman's aces and digs were team highs.

Alyssa Fierro led the Valkyries with 12 kills and Avery Vogel finished with 22 assists and six kills.

Ashley Cheff had 17 assists and two aces for Ronan. Kaylee Larsen had the most kills for the Maidens with seven.

Bigfork def. Ronan 25-21, 25-23, 25-18

Kills - Bigfork 34, Alyssa Fierro 12, Roxanne Thurman 9, Avery Vogel 6; Ronan 24, Kaylee Larsen 7; Blocks - Bigfork 0, Ronan 1, Bridgett Lake 1; Assists - Bigfork 25, Vogel 22; Ronan 18, Ashley Cheff 17; Digs - Bigfork 35, Thurman 12, Mallery Knoll 8; Ronan 38, Ishan Wylie 8; Aces - Bigfork 8, Thurman 3, Emily Hartman 2; Ronan 8, Amanda Bartel 2, Larsen 2, Cheff 2.