Sentinel sticks loss on Glacier

Lots of Jennifer Keddy.

Glacier fans got a good look at one of Montana's best volleyball players on Saturday.

Sentinel's 6-foot-4 middle hitter was as advertised - 20 kills, 15 defensive digs and five blocks - as Sentinel defeated host Glacier 25-23, 25-17, 25-19.

Glacier (4-5, 3-2) had its moments, too, and the Wolfpack were right in every set. It had chances, especially in the early going.

That game was nip and tuck all the way - 16 ties and neither team ever led by more than three points.

The biggest lead belonged to the Wolfpack - 10-7 on three straight Sentinel errors.

But the Spartans (8-3, 3-1) came right back to tie the set, and the teams continued jockeying.

The final tie was at 23-all.

Keddy finished the set with three straight kills.

"We started out a little rocky (on ball control)," said Sentinel coach Patrick Hiller.

"But halfway through Game 1, you could see it switched over. We had to make a couple subs to actually pull it completely around, but better ball control (helped).

"We still need to get our setter really getting the ball in the right position. In the second game through the third game, she was much better. You saw us being able to attack the ball," he said.

"Jennifer was able to get some swings there. Once we got the outside attack going, it opens a lot of things for us," he said.

"I'm disappointed because we were in all of those games," said Glacier coach Christy Harkins.

"At points in those games, it was very close and we didn't look like we were close. We looked like we were getting beat. I'm frustrated by that," she said.

"In Game 1, it was 23-23. We looked like we're down by 10," she said.

"They're a good team and it was a great opportunity for us to raise our level … and we didn't rise to the challenge as much as I

would have liked," she said.

"I thought we did a good job with Keddy. She's a great player, she is going to get her kills.

"But I thought we did some good things offensively to move the ball around and not give her all the stuff blocks she usually gets," Harkins said.

The story in the next two sets was the same.

Sentinel started out big, Glacier fought back within a point or two, then the Spartans pushed through for the win.

"We didn't create a winning environment today," Harkins said.

"Skills-wise, I thought there were things we did well and I thought we worked hard to keep ourselves in it.

"We talked about making the next level leap and trying to understand how to do that. Right now, it's not necessarily skills, because there are things we do well. It's an emotional leap of confidence.

"We are above where we were last year. Our skills are better. We know how to play better, our confidence is better. But we are not to the highest level yet," she added.

One area she was very happy with was the Wolfpack defense - 55 digs. Senior libero Kayla Smart had 22.

"Defensively, Glacier is insanely good," Hiller said.

"The number of balls they dig up is incredible. I bet there were eight or nine shots I thought were to the floor."

"If they had three or four more of her, I don't know what you'd do. She sure puts the ball in the air," Hiller said of Smart.

"The nice thing was our girls were actually able to regroup and attack," he added.

"They were sending a lot of free balls to us and we were able to come back at them.

"But I'll be surprised if these guys aren't rolling by the end of the season. That defense …" he said.

Emilee Hashley led the Wolfpack with seven kills, three blocks and three aces. Rachel Cutler added seven kills and Lindsea Vaudt had 12 assists.

Kills - Sentinel 29 (Jennifer Keddy 20), Glacier 21 (Emilee Hashley 7, Rachel Cutler 7), Assists - Sentinel 22 (Sarah Stocker 21), Glacier 13 (Lindsea Vaudt 12), Digs - Sentinel 46 (Keddy 15), Glacier 55 (Kayla Smart 22), Blocks - Sentinel 6 (Keddy 5), Glacier 7 (Hashley 3), Aces - Sentinel 5 (Bailey Branson 2, Morgan McCarthy 2), Glacier 6 (Hashley 3).