Glacier, Flathead lose state openers

By DIXIE KNUTSON/The Daily Inter Lake

BOZEMAN -The Glacier Wolfpack volleyball program is for real.

The rest of the state found that out on Thursday.

The Wolfpack claimed a game at the All-Class State Volleyball Tournament for the first time in school history.

Eastern AA No. 2 seed Billings West downed the fledgling Wolfpack, 25-19, 25-19, 22-25, 25-16.

The loss drops Glacier into loser-out play. It will take on CMR at noon today.

But Wolfpack coach Christy Harkins saw a lot that she liked.

For one thing, Glacier was right with the 2007 Class AA state runners-up for most of the way.

"We got a game. Now we're going for a match," Harkins said.

"We'll get better, little by little," she smiled.

"I thought we served pretty well. We passed real well. I don't think we got aced too many times … we gave ourselves every shot. We just struggled with our outside hitters," she said.

"The only thing holding us back today was hitting errors," she said.

"To the credit of the team, they kept passing. They said 'you guys swing again, we'll give it a try,'" she said.

"I was really very proud of them."

Despite the hitting errors - Harkins estimated the Wolfpack gave up 40-45 points on those alone - West was never able to create much distance between itself and the Wolfpack.

Glacier matched the Golden Bears point for point in the first game - the Bears only inched away in the final moments.

West exerted some authority in the second game, but the Wolfpack battled back in the third.

It built a 13-5 lead, but then had to scramble a bit to maintain it.

"They fought really hard to take Game 3," Harkins said.

"We had a big lead and we let them back in it. But to fight point for point … that was good," she said.

"(The Wolfpack) showed they are a good team. They showed they deserve to be out here at the state tournament," Harkins said.

"I thought they did a great job."

Emilee Hashley had 14 of Glacier's 34 kills. Kendra Bouley was next with 10.

Hashley also led in blocks with three. Lindsea Vaudt had four aces and Kayla Smart 31 digs.

Billings Senior 3,

Flathead 0

Defending state champ Billings Senior took care of Flathead, winning 25-10, 25-19, 25-10.

The Broncs, winners of 62 straight matches, were led by Kylie Kufeld and Kylie Edinger with 14 and 12 kills, respectively.

Danika Johnson had six for Flathead and Ariel Johnson followed with five.

Senior, shooting for a fourth-straight state championship, had the upper hand in all five statistical categories.

Flathead plays Great Falls High today at 10 a.m. in a loser-out match.

The Bravettes finished third at state last year.

Senior also beat Missoula Sentinel in the second round, 25-13, 25-19, 25-14.