Wolfpack pulls it out in fifth set
<p>Glacier sophomore Hannah Atlee (28) jumps to block at shot by Hellgate junior Melody McDaniels (7) during Glacier's five set win over Hellgate in the Class AA play-in game Thursday evening at Glacier High School.</p>
<p>Glacier's Lexy Boschee (3), Hannah Liss (4), Amy Snipstead (2) and Hannah Atlee (28) celebrate after a point during Glacier's five set win over Hellgate in their Class AA play-in game Thursday evening at Glacier High School.</p>
Two student-made banners hanging high above Glacier's gymnasium floor were emblazoned with the words "dominate" and "devastate."
The Wolfpack volleyball team did neither Thursday, but are nonetheless on to the Class AA state tournament in Bozeman having edged visiting Missoula Hellgate 25-13, 25-22, 23-25, 24-26 and 15-6 to win their play-in game.
It's the first back-to-back state playoff appearances in Glacier's five-year history.
And it wasn't easy.
Glacier (15-10, 7-5) won the first set with relative ease, cruising to a 25-13 victory. But the Knights came alive in the second set after finding themselves in a 15-6 hole.
Late in the set, Hellgate's Monica Dierken served up four consecutive points to bring the score to 24-22.
But senior Lexy Boschee - who had 23 kills and 22 digs in the match - scored the final point to put the Wolfpack ahead two games to none.
"I would definitely give credit to Hellgate," Glacier coach Christy Harkins said.
"I saw it in the end of game two when they really started hustling after balls, they started being more aggressive at the net. I think it was in my mind a combination of Hellgate stepping their game up and us making errors on our side, a lot of unforced errors."
Those errors, at least in part, helped fuel Hellgate as it outlasted Glacier 25-23 in the third set. Then the Knights put together an even more complete game in the fourth to tie the match at two sets apiece with a 26-24 win.
During the break before the fifth and deciding set, Harkins said her message to the Wolfpack was clear.
"‘Fifteen points defines your season,' is what I told them," Harkins said. "I said ‘you can define (yourselves) as the team that was two points away, three points away ... Or you can define it as a team that stepped up to the challenge and made it to the state tournament.'"
Whatever the message, it seemed to take hold.
The Wolfpack marched back out on the court and dispatched the Knights 15-6 to solidify a berth to the state playoffs in Bozeman next weekend.
Freshman Hannah Liss, who had 47 assists and four aces in the match, was pivotal in the final set, serving up four points to build a 7-2 lead for Glacier.
"She did a great job of just running the show, finding the hot hand, and just did a great job setting," Harkins said.
Harkins also lauded the play of her passers, Emily Gilbertson and Amy Snipstead. Gilbertson had 26 digs and Snipstead provided her usual consistent play.
"Amy is just a nice, calm senior leader," Harkins said. "She provides great spark for us. She's so consistent. You just always know exactly what you're going to get out of Amy. Great effort all the time."
It was Glacier's third victory of the season over Hellgate. Harkins said she worried that a third game against the Knights might present the possibility of a letdown situation for the Wolfpack.
That concern appeared to manifest itself in the form of occasional unforced errors and an apparent lack of intensity at times, she said.
"Sometimes we were too calm," Harkins said. "Sometimes we were ahead with points and I was like ‘come on this is a chance to win and go to state.'"
Miscues aside, Harkins said she was proud of how her team responded in an atmosphere rife with band music, a raucous crowd and pressure - all factors similar to what the Wolfpack will experience at the state tournament.
"This team has been fighters all season," Harkins said. "We've been on the rough end of the deal for a few times, a few matches this season. So I think we've learned how to get better at that fight and to finish those games better."
Glacier's next challenge will be even greater. The Wolfpack will play Billings Senior (12-0, 27-2) Thursday in the first round of the playoffs.
"They're amazing," Harkins said. "They have a lot of height, a lot of great hitters. (They're) just a very well disciplined team. But if we make as many hitting errors against a team like that, we won't even be in it."
Kills - Hellgate 44 (Betsy Pickhardt 12), Glacier 66 (Lexy Boschee 23, Dayna Niebaum 10). Assists - Hellgate 38 (Morgan Lutz 36), Glacier 51 (Hannah Liss 47). Blocks - Hellgate 9 (Jenae White 5), Glacier 6 (Cassidy Hashley 4). Digs - Hellgate 87 (Monica Dierken 27), Glacier 96 (Emily Gilbertson 26, Boschee 22). Aces - Hellgate 4 (Taylor Allen 2, Taylor Caprara 2), Glacier 12 (Niebam 5, Liss 4).