Bengals top Bravettes in volleyball

The Daily Inter Lake

Ariel Johnson had eight kills, 14 digs and three service aces but the Helena High Bengals defeated the Flathead Bravettes 25-16, 25-22, 25-23 in a Western AA volleyball match Saturday afternoon.

But Flathead coach Leon Wilcox saw plenty of positives for the Bravettes.

"It was a good match for us. We started figuring some things out. We're making progress in some areas. We're not there yet, but I think we got closer," Wilcox said.

"Helena is experienced and they're very athletic. I think the biggest thing was their blocking. They really put up a tough block and it took us out of our offense at times," he added.

But he also pointed out that the Bravettes played progressively better as the match wore on - and they got a handle on some of streaks of errors.

Helena barely nipped Flathead in the third game.

"Our girls' attitudes were good. They were playing hard. They were fighting," he said.

"The fact that we stayed in that match and led and didn't give up streaks of points shows progress," he said.

The Bravettes are off now until Thursday when they take on Glacier.

Helena def. Flathead 25-16, 25-22, 25-23

Kills: Flathead 28 (Ariel Johnson 8, Hana Burton 5, Danika Johnson 6); Assists: 25 (Chaela Liss 21). Blocks: 9 (Burton 5, Anika Thorderson 4, D. Johnson 3) Digs: 64 (Laurie Swindall 17, A. Johnson 14), Aces: 7 (A. Johnson 3, Liss 2).