Bruins bounce Wolfpack spikers

A step forward in skills, but a step back in competitive fire.

That's how Glacier volleyball coach Christy Harkins characterized the Wolfpack's match against visiting Helena Capital.

The Bruins headed home Saturday after claiming sweeps of both Flathead and Glacier.

They downed the Wolfpack 25-20, 25-18, 25-12.

"I kind of thought we were taking a step backward on the competitive level," the coach said. "I was pleased with some of the things skills-wise, but I don't think we competed very well today.

"Skills-wise, we are definitely better," Harkins said.

"But we were not mentally prepared for this game. I could tell in warm-ups, I could tell in our pre-game meeting … that we were not focused with the determination that we need to have every match," she said.

When she asked the team about it afterward?

"They didn't have an answer. There was a lot of staring at the coach in the team room after the match," she said.

The first game was Glacier's best.

Although the Wolfpack never had a lead, it hung right with the Bruins much of the way. But errors found the Wolfpack right when it appeared ready to make a move. Trailing 17-16, Glacier put together a string of four straight mistakes - a bad pass, a shot over the net that landed wide, a whistle for a double hit and two hitting errors - one long and one into the net.

That was enough separation for the Bruins to cruise to the first game win.

The second game was more of the same - close, but mistakes in the middle of the game gave Capital the lead. By the third game, the Wolfpack had packed it in. Helena Capital built a 10-2 lead and sailed.

But Harkins did see some things she liked.

"We passed very well today, I thought, compared to how we have passed. We have a long way to go, but it was so much better," she hastened to add.

"We had choices offensively today because of how we passed. We probably hit negative. We made a lot of hitting errors.

"But Capital is a good blocking team, a good defensive team and their setter (Jackie Polette) makes great sets off not so great passes sometimes. She gets the ball to her hitters very well," Harkins said.

Emilee Hashley led Glacier with eight kills. Lindsea Vaudt added 16 assists and Kayla Smart had 16 digs.

The coach also complimented the play of Kadie Latimer and Jolee Kampf.

"I thought she did some good things at the net for us and worked hard," Harkins said of Latimer.

As for Kampf, "She played hard. I can't fault her effort at all.

"She's understanding the game a lot better. Some of the sets she's calling for from Lindsea shows that she understands matching up with better blockers and being able to move blockers around."

Capital def. Glacier 25-20, 25-18, 25-12

Kills - Capital 20 (Sierra Diehl 5), Glacier 18 (Emilee Hashley 18), Assists - Capital 17 (Jackie Polette 13), Glacier 16 (Lindsea Vaudt 16), Digs - Capital 42 (Sierra Diehl 11), Glacier 59 (Kayla Smart 16), Blocks - Capital 10 (Ashley Ames 7), Glacier 3 (Chaela Liss 2), Aces - Capital 10 (Polette 3, Cody Goette 3), Glacier 5 (No leader).