Bulldogs, Pirates win divisional openers
The Daily Inter Lake
POLSON - Whitefish pulled out a dramatic victory over Columbia Falls in opening-round play Thursday of the Northwestern A volleyball divisional at Linderman Elementary School.
The Bulldogs took the first two games, dropped the next two, and then survived in the fifth game to advance to an 11 a.m. match today against top-seed Libby.
Whitefish defeated Columbia Falls 25-21, 25-22, 7-25, 18-25, 15-12.
"We got in a hole, down 12-2 (in the third game), and we were never able to come out of it," Whitefish coach Jackie Fuller said.
"The big thing, we regrouped in the fifth game. The kids stuck in there and played really hard."
Libby, which lost just once in league play this fall, swept the regular-season series with Whitefish.
"They're a good ball club," Fuller said of the Loggers.
"They are playing well. We will have to be at our best to compete."
Columbia Falls held a statistical edge in every category. The Wildkats finished with 41 kills to 35 for Whitefish. Shiloh Knudsen had 13 for the Wildkats and McCara Cullen led Whitefish with 16.
Knudsen had three of her team's 11 blocks, while Heather Bailey had three of Whitefish's four.
Cullen also had 13 digs.
"What made us successful tonight is each and everyone of the girls had a slump and a high. Because it was a team effort, we were successful," Fuller said.
Columbia Falls drops into a loser-out match today at 5 p.m.
"The girls played hard," Columbia Falls coach Addy Hines said.
"We have to compete a little bit better than we did. There is nothing we can do about it now. I hope were ready to go tomorrow."
Kills - Whitefish 35 (McCara Cullen 16, Olivia Nagler 7), Columbia Falls 41 (Shiloh Knudsen 13); Blocks - Whitefish 4 (Heather Bailey 3), Columbia Falls 11 (Knudsen 3); Assists - Whitefish 28 (Jade Hansen 25), Columbia Falls 33 (Casidee Skiles 33); Digs - Whitefish 67 (Molly Filipek 15, Cullen 13), Columbia Falls 74 (Alyssa Ladenburg 28); Aces - Whitefish 10 (Filipek 3, Madison Tveidt 3), Columbia Falls 11 (Ladenburg 3, Skiles 3).
Polson 3, Ronan 0
Nicole Davey had a big game at the net, finishing with 15 kills and one block as Polson rolled over Ronan 25-20, 25-20, 25-16.
Davey also collected two aces.
Carli Starkel had 11 kills, one block and 16 digs for Ronan.
Polson moves on to face No. 2 seed Bigfork today at 1 p.m. Ronan falls into loser-out play at 3 p.m.
Kills - Polson 44 (Nicole Davey 15), Ronan 21 (Carli Starkel 11). Blocks - Polson 3 (Davey, Christa Redcrow, Sallie Sams), Ronan 2 (Starkel, Alice Va Gunten). Digs - Polson 61 (Breanne Kelley 13, Staci Benson 13), Ronan 35 (Starkel 16). Assists - Polson 41 (Kayla Duford 40), Ronan 18 (Kelsey Swalling 16). Aces - Polson 6 (Davey 2, Benson 2), Ronan 7 (Kaylee Larson 4).
Class AA Playoffs
Western
Glacier defeat Hellgate 25-14, 25-14, 26-24
Missoula Sentinel def. Capital, 25-20, 25-14, 25-11
Eastern
Billings West def. Butte 25-13, 22-25, 25-17, 25-6
Class A Divisionals
Southwestern
At Anaconda
Corvallis 3, Hamilton 0
Frenchtown 3, Stevensville 1
Today
Quarterfinals
11 a.m. - Dillon vs. Corvallis
1 p.m. - Anaconda vs. Frenchtown
Loser-outs
3 p.m. - Stevensville vs. Dillon/Corvallis loser
5 p.m. - Hamilton vs. Anaconda/Frenchtown loser
Semifinal
7 p.m. - Dillon/Corvallis winner vs. Anaconda/Frenchtown winner
Class B Divisionals
Southern
At Red Lodge
Townsend def. Colstrip 25-18, 25-27, 25-15, 26-28, 15-12
Huntley Project def. Three Forks 25-12, 25-16, 25-9
Manhattan Christian def. Broadus 25-13, 25-15, 25-10
Red Lodge def. Baker 19-25, 25-10, 25-16, 25-17
Huntley Project def. Townsend 25-19, 25-13, 25-14
Manhattan Christian def. Red Lodge 25-10, 25-19, 25-15
Class C Divisionals
Southern
At Harlowton
Park City def. Hobson-Moore-Judith Gap 24-26, 25-18, 25-17, 25-23
Absarokee def. Winifred 25-11, 25-7, 25-9
Joliet def. Broadview-Lavina 25-12, 25-18, 25-22
Bridger def. Grass Range-Winnett-Roy 25-10, 25-18, 17-25, 25-19
Absarokee def. Park City 25-21, 23-25, 25-17, 25-13
Bridger def. Joliet 25-15, 25-18, 25-21
Western
At Butte
Charlo def. Gardiner 16-25, 25-10, 25-23, 25-17
Hot Springs def. Sheridan 25-19, 25-22, 25-14
Philipsburg def. Shields Valley 14-25, 25-23, 25-15, 25-13
White Sulphur Springs def. Arlee 21-25, 25-22, 25-19, 21-25, 15-9
Philipsburg def. Hot Springs 25-22, 25-22, 14-25, 24-26, 15-12
White Sulphur Springs def. Charlo 25-21, 28-26, 20-25, 25-15
Eastern
At Fairview
Fairview def. Nashua 25-22, 25-21, 25-16
Saco-Hinsdale def. Savage 25-13, 25-15, 25-13
Richey def. Ekalaka 25-10, 25-16, 25-15
Scobey def. Terry 26-24, 16-25, 25-16, 25-21, 15-13
Circle def. Fairview 25-16, 25-11, 25-11
Nashua def. Savage 25-19, 19-25, 25-21, 25-21.
Ekalaka def. Terry 16-25, 25-18, 19-25, 25-19, 16-14