Crosstown volleyball takes center stage

Today: Flathead (3-2) at Glacier (2-1).

First serve: 7 p.m.

Series record: All even at four wins each.

Last year: Glacier won both. It was the first time the Wolfpack had defeated Flathead at Glacier.

This week: Glacier has been off since its four-set win over Capital on Saturday. The Bravettes swept Hellgate on Tuesday, 25-8, 25-17, 25-15.

"(The Bravettes) are feeling good after Tuesday night's match. It's always exciting to play a crosstown. Energy is high and enthusiam is high," said Flathead coach Leon Wilcox.

Rockin' and rollin': "From the first time, it's been wild," said Glacier coach Christy Harkins.

"It is what it is. You never know what it's going to be. You just know it's going to be intense," she said.

"I think the crosstown is fantastic for the game of volleyball. I look forward to it. We get great crowds, the sport gets great recognition. No matter the outcome, it's always been good volleyball. I think it's wonderful," she said.

"The crowd is always a big deal, but we'll have a lot of people there too," Wilcox said.

"We have to focus on the game and imagine everybody is there for (the Bravettes).

"It's a fun atmosphere. The Glacier crowd is a good crowd. They're good sportsmen and they do a good job cheering for their side. I think (the crosstown) always brings out the best in both teams."

Keys for Flathead: "We've got to play mentally tough consistently," Wilcox said.

"We have to make sure we surpass their intensity. It's going to take teamwork. They are going to have to play together and for each other."

"Glacier is going to pressure us more than Hellgate did. That's where the consistency comes in. We've got to remember that competing is an all-the-time thing. We have to have mental toughness. We take care of that and it will be a good night," he said.

Keys for Glacier: Obviously Flathead has strength with their hitters - great hitters all the way around," Harkins said.

The Bravettes run a 6-2 offense with the setter in the back row, so "they have six solid hitters all the time and they're all great. You have to be prepared to defend all options," she said.

"We have to be relentless in our defense and pursue every ball. We've got to be strong defenders," Harkins said.

Unpredictable: Everything - returning players, size, skill - all gets thrown out when it comes to this match.

"You can scout and prepare and plan, but you have to be ready for whatever happens," Harkins said.

That said ... "I would say (the Bravettes) would have to be the favorite. Their hitters have great efficiency right now. They have a lot of kids who have played in crosstown. I have a lot of kids who haven't. We'll see how they do," she said.

"If (the Bravettes) get their offense going, everybody in the state has trouble," she added.

"We've got to be strong defenders."

Glacier's offense: The Wolfpack runs a 5-1 offense with one setter all the way around.

"Offensively, Lexy Boschee is one of our key interests," Wilcox said. "She is a the kind of kid that doesn't stop coming at you. She doesn't get intimidated. She just keeps coming at you. We have to reduce her effectiveness and keep the ball away from their middles," he added.

"I think defense is going to be key. I have a lot of confidence in our offense -we have so many hitters.

"But where we can tip the scales in our favor is covering the floor better than them," Wilcox said.

A lot of the teams Flathead has faced so far this year have changed their offense in response to the Bravette block.

"Our defense has to respond to that," he said.