Class AA Volleyball: Hellgate sneaks by Glacier

So much for easing into the season.

Glacier and Missoula Hellgate were locked in a knock down, drag out battle for the better part of 2 1/2 hours Tuesday night with visiting Hellgate finally emerging with an exhausting 3-1 Class AA Western Division volleyball victory.

Hellgate won 29-27, 29-27, 16-25, 25-23.

"It's an intense way to start conference play, that's for sure" Glacier coach Christy Harkins said.

"We jumped out to some great, strong leads, we just couldn't finish."

Glacier enjoyed a five-point edge, 13-7 and six-point advantage, 19-13, in the opening game, but couldn't put away a scrappy Hellgate squad.

There were 11 ties in that game alone.

Twice Glacier could have won it after both teams were tied at 25, but failed to capitalize from the service line while holding a one-point advantage.

Glacier came right back, bolting to a 9-1 lead in Game 2, before watching Hellgate chip away and win by the identical score of the first game.

Glacier let a 5-0 advantage slip away in the third game, but after ties at 9 and 12, pulled away for the most lopsided-game victory on the night.

The final game was much like the first two with Hellgate pulling it out once again.

"They're a great defensive team," Harkins said of the Knights.

"They kept sending the ball back to us."

The statistics were nearly identical. Both teams had 39 kills, with Becca Braak leading Hellgate with 13 and Rachel Cutler topping Glacier with 19.

Assists were nearly even, 36-33 in favor of Glacier, and Hellgate totaled just four more blocks, 9-5. Braak had five and Cutler three.

But Glacier finished well ahead of Hellgate in digs, 116-85, and aces, 13-1.

Cami Mathison had 28 digs for the Wolfpack, and Lexy Boschee and Paige Latimer both finished with four aces.

"(Leah Engebretson) played well defensively," Harkins said.

"She worked very hard, motivated the team. She picked up the defensive effort throughout."

Harkins said Cutler's net play helped Glacier prevail in Game 3 and avoid a sweep.

"She gave us some big kills," she said.

"She was keeping us in it, helping us come back."

Glacier, 2-1 overall and 0-1 league, continues with conference play on Saturday at Helena.

Hellgate improves to 1-1 and 1-0.

Missoula Hellgate def. Glacier 29-27, 29-27, 16-25, 25-23

Kills - Hellgate 39, Becca Braak 13; Glacier 39, Rachel Cutler, 19; Assists - Hellgate 33, Kate Seaholm 19; Glacier 36, Paige Latimer 30; Digs - Hellgate 85, Brooke Bryant 22; Glacier 116, Cami Mathison 28; Blocks - Hellgate 9, Braak 5; Glacier 5, Cutler 3; Aces - Hellgate 1, Mary Yoder; Glacier 13, Lexy Boschee 5, Latimer 4.