Eureka still alive at Western B divisional
SUPERIOR - Eureka is one of three teams still holding on to state tournament hopes at the Western B divisional volleyball tournament.
Eureka, for the third time Friday, came away with a loser-out victory to stay alive. The Lions defeated St. Ignatius 25-7, 25-23, 25-14.
The Lions (19-7) will now face Deer Lodge, a team it has yet to play this season, today at 11 a.m. for the consolation title. The winner advances to the championship round versus Missoula Loyola.
The top two teams advance to state
Loyola defeated Deer Lodge in semifinal play on Friday 3-0.
"The worst we can do is third," Eureka coach Rhonda Hammond said.
"We're banged up. They never quit, they have so much heart."
Tayler Holder, hobbled by a broken foot, led the Lions with 15 kills against St. Ignatius. She also had seven digs.
Freshman setter Alyssa White turned in another gutsy performance playing with a bad knee.
"It swells, she just sucks it up," Hammond said of White's injury.
"They're (Holder and White) tough."
Hammond said the Lions first set against St. Ignatius was near perfect.
"Just flawless volleyball," she said.
"I remember just one error that whole game."
Eureka started the day with loser-out contests versus District 7B foes Thompson Falls and Bigfork. The Lions defeated stubborn Thompson Falls 25-23, 23-25, 21-25, 25-15, 15-5 as Carly Hammond had a career high 30 kills.
The Lions followed that with a wild 23-25, 25-21, 26-24, 25-23 victory over Bigfork. It was the sixth meeting of the season for the two powers with both teams winning three times.
Hammond totaled 22 kills in that match.
It was a disappointing finish for Bigfork (16-5), which came into the tournament the No. 1 seed from 7B. Bigfork and Eureka were co-champs for the regular season. Bigfork won the district tournament last weekend.
"It was an emotional thing," Bigfork coach Tammi McDaniel said of being eliminated on the second day.
"They never quit that last game. They were down 23-17 and they fought back. I thought they were gonna get it.
"They fought with a lot of heart," she added.
"They play with a lot of passion."
Friday
Loser-out Matches
Eureka def. Bigfork
23-25, 25-21, 26-24, 25-23
Kills - Eureka 51 (Carly Hammond 22, Tayler Holder 10), Bigfork 41 (Emily Hardman 13, Mallery Knoll 11, Melissa VanDerveer 7, Claire Wilken 6); Blocks - Eureka 13 (Tasha Mikita 4), Bigfork 6 (VanDerveer 2, Nikie Bilodeau 2); Assists - Eureka 42 (Alyssa White 40), Bigfork 38 (Wilken 18, Taylor Peck 15); Digs - Eureka 96 (Casey Armstrong 22, Holder 20), Bigfork 22 (Knoll 11, VanDerveer 4); Aces - Eureka 9 (Hammond 2, Holder 2, Armstrong, White 2), Bigfork 5 (Hardman 3).
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Eureka def. Thompson Falls
25-23, 23-25, 21-25, 25-15, 15-5
Kills - Eureka 54 (Hammond 30, Holder 13); Blocks - Eureka 14 (Mikita 5, Cassidy Morgan 4, Selene Elser 4); Assists - Eureka 47 (White 42); Digs - Eureka 109 (Morgan 33, Hammond 23, Holder 23); Aces - Eureka 14 (Holder 8).
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Eureka def. St. Ignatius
25-7, 25-23, 25-14
Kills - Eureka 43 (Holder 15, Hammond 13); Blocks - Eureka 10 (Elster 4, Mikita 4); Assists - Eureka 35 (White 29), Digs - Eureka 42 (Hammond 14, Holder 7); Aces - Eureka 8 (Holder 4, Hammond 2).
Also
St.Ignatius def. Florence 16-25, 23-25, 25-20, 25-16, 15-10
St. Ignatius def. Valley Christian 25-15, 25-15, 25-14
Semifinals
Missoula Loyola def. Deer Lodge, 3-0