Bravettes claim third

BOZEMAN - No regrets.

There was no state championship for the Flathead Bravette volleyball team Saturday. But the Bravettes walked off the court Saturday morning knowing they had left their all.

Billings West defeated Flathead 25-15, 25-21, 27-25 in the Class AA State Volleyball tournament.

But the Bravettes didn't leave the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse empty handed. They brought home the trophy for third place.

"They all felt good about it. Nobody had any regrets. It's really nice they ended their season playing really good volleyball," said Flathead coach Leon Wilcox. "Of course, there were tears. You put that much sweat equity into a season, of course the emotions come out … because it's over. But it wasn't tears of regret or frustration. It was tears of … they felt good. They are happy with how they've done. They left everything out there. I'm very proud and very pleased with how they did.

In the early going of Saturday's match, it appeared West might repeat the performance it put on opening day.

"We started out nervous. We were hanging onto mistakes too much," Wilcox said. "We were too much in our heads. We didn't loosen up and play."

But once the first game was gone, the Bravettes turned their play up a notch.

"We really got after it. About the middle of Game 2, we turned it around. Once they turned it on, we played fabulous," he said. "We came from being down in Game 2 to having opportunities in Game 2 and Game 3, we controlled most of that game right down to the end.

"They kept fighting. They didn't let down."

Flathead led for much of the third game. It was never by a lot - two to three points - but it was right on the cusp on claiming that game.

The Bravettes had two game points. But each time West was able to come up with an answer.

Kendalyn Habel led Flathead with 17 kills, two aces and 23 digs. Sierra Olszewski added 33 assists and Steph Elliott had 23 digs.

The biggest difference in the match?

"West is a very good team," Wilcox said. "West had better volleyball players than we did. Those kids play year-round. So, as far as volleyball skills, they were better.

"But I don't think there's a better team in the state than us. I don't think anybody played as a team as well as we did.

"We went up against a team that plays year-round. They have more experience playing volleyball than we do - and for our group of seasonal players to do as well as they did speaks well for how they play together.

Most of those team members will be saying good-bye to the Flathead program as the Bravettes graduate 10.

"Time to reload," Wilcox said. "We've got a lot of young kids that are hungry. They want to be here again. They're telling me they will be here again. But we have a lot of work to do. We have positions to fill and a team to put together."

Billings West defeat Flathead

25-15, 25-21, 27-25

Kills - West 35 (Sarah James 17, Mikensi Romersa 8, Lauryn McKay 7), Flathead 36 (Kendalyn Habel 17), Assists - West 31 (Caitlin Tocci 30), Flathead 33 (Sierra Olszewski 33), Blocks - West 10 (James 7), Flathead 5 (Shaina Evans 2, Ashlea Vaudt 2.5), Digs - West 28 (Mikensi Romersa 8), Flathead 59 (Habel 23, Steph Elliott 15), Aces - West 5 (Erin Compton 2, Tocci 2), Flathead 3 (Habel 2).