Rustlers, Bison fall to Flathead
Flathead senior Sarah Aylor digs the ball in a nonconference volleyball match Saturday afternoon against Great Falls High at Flathead. The Bravettes won the match 3-1.
Flathead junior Kylie Schlegel, 13, sends the ball back over the net during the game against Great Falls on Saturday in Kalispell. Flathead won the match up three games to one.
When push came to shove on Saturday, the Flathead Bravettes decided to be the ones doing the shoving.
The Bravettes, up two sets to one against CMR, allowed a five-point lead to slip away in the fourth set.
But in the end, with that set tied at 24-all, Flathead decided not to play a fifth set. To that end, it came up with an ace and kills by two different hitters to slam the door on a four-set victory.
The Bravettes, who hosted the varsity matches in Saturday’s four-team volleyball fiesta, sent both Great Falls teams home unhappy.
They defeated both 3-1. Scores were 19-25, 25-18, 25-16, 27-25 against CMR, and 25-19, 25-23, 17-25, 25-16 against Great Falls.
Flathead played Great Falls High Saturday morning, then had several hours off as Glacier also defeated both Great Falls and CMR.
“I thought we were a little up and down. We’re still young. We have to find some team chemistry out there on the floor,” said Flathead head coach Leon Wilcox.
“We were much more competitive consistently (against CMR). We were flat for most of the Great Falls match. Then we turned it around in the fourth game,” he said.
“We need to work on jelling on the floor a little more. It’s still unfamiliar. The kids aren’t used to playing next to each other. We have to give it some more time,” he said.
But “overall, I was pleased with how we played. We’ve got a lot more untapped potential,” Wilcox said.
Indeed they do.
At one point, the Bravettes had one senior and two sophomores in the front row. Their heights were 6-foot-3, 6-1 and 6-1.
Junior Hannah Sackett led Flathead in hitting in both games. She had 13 kills and 19 digs in the morning match against Great Falls and another 13 kills and 12 digs in the nightcap with CMR. Senior Danika Johnson had 12 kills and five blocks in the Great Falls victory.
Senior Sarah Aylor had 13 digs in the Bison match and 21 against CMR.
“Aylor was tough in the back row for us. She really brought us a lot of energy,” Wilcox said.
“Hannah was steady. Her passing was good and a that’s a new role for her. She did very well,” Wilcox said.
“Danika was solid. She put up a great block ... very consistent with her blocking,” the coach added.
The Bravettes have two matches ahead of them this week — they head over to Glacier on Thursday, then play host Friday to Missoula Hellgate.
Flathead def. Great Falls High 25-19, 25-23, 17-25, 25-16.
Kills — Flathead 45 (Hannah Sackett 13, Danika Johnson 12); Assists — Flathead 41 (Alison Lunde 26); Blocks — Flathead 10 (Kwyn Johnson 7, D. Johnson 5); Digs — Flathead 61 (Sackett 19, Sarah Aylor 13); Aces — Flathead 7 (Timi Severson 3). Great Falls stats not available.
Flathead def. CMR 19-25, 25-18, 25-16, 27-25
Kills — Flathead 47 (Hannah Sackett 13, Timi Severson 8, Cassie Krueger 8); Assists — Flathead 42 (Emily Russell 24); Blocks — Flathead 7 (Danika Johnson 5, Severson 4); Digs — Flathead 61 (Sarah Aylor 21, Sackett 12); Aces — Flathead 6 (Alison Lunde 3).