Billings Senior sweeps Wolfpack in state AA volleyball opener

BOZEMAN - As advertised.

Class AA's No. 1-ranked volleyball team was every bit as good as Glacier volleyball coach Christy Harkins made it out to be when she talked to the Inter Lake earlier this week.

Billings Senior swept the Wolfpack 25-15, 25-19, 25-15 in the opening round of the All-Class State Volleyball Tournament on Thursday.

"Lots of offense, a lot of height ... a lot of good things," Harkins said of the Broncs.

"It was nothing we didn't know going in," she said.

Lexy Boschee led the Wolfpack with nine kills. Cassidy Hashley added four blocks and Emily Gilbertson had 12 digs.

"We didn't pass well. We didn't give ourselves much of a chance.

"But part of that is their serving. They served well. And if you shank one, you are getting the next one. Then they're in your head," Harkins said.

"We knew that and we just didn't battle very well," she added.

"We just didn't give ourselves opportunities to attack. When we did, we did fine," the coach said.

The first set was pretty much all Senior.

But the Wolfpack hung a lot closer in the second - Boschee had five of her kills in that one and Hashley added three.

Glacier trailed 12-7 in the early going of that one, but bounced back to knot the set at 16. But the Senior offense took over at that point - two kills each by Kiahna Steiner and Kierney Findon and one from Elayna Rice and the set was all but over.

Glacier stayed close early in the third set, but three straight aces by Senior's Jacey Habets dropped the Wolfpack into a 7-point hole.

Harkins complimented the efforts of both Boschee and Hashley.

"Lexy showed good leadership. She was working hard. She got better throughout the match passing and she stayed tougher than some of the rest of us. She didn't let (the Broncs) get in her head," Harkins said.

As for Hashley, she was out with an illness for part of the week - and still managed four blocks and five kills.

"She blocked well and she was aggressive at the net. It was nice to see that," Harkins said.

The Wolfpack now needs to win three matches today to make it to Saturday play. The first step is at noon today when it takes on Bozeman. The winner of that match will play Flathead at 4 p.m. The winner there will play again at 8 p.m.

Senior def. Glacier 25-15, 25-19, 25-15

Kills - Glacier 23 (Lexy Boschee 9), Senior 42 (Elayna Rice 14), Assists - 20 (Hannah Liss 19), Senior 37 (Jace Henderson 35), Blocks - Glacier 4 (Cassidy Hashley 4), Senior 6 (Taylor Mims 4), Digs - Glacier 32 (Emily Gilbertson 12), Senior 54 (Jacey Habets 17), Aces - Glacier 1 (No leader), Senior 16 (Habets 5).