Volleyball: Wolfpack sweeps Eagles

It was an early night on Tuesday — and after two

straight five-set volleyball matches, the Glacier Wolfpack was glad

to get it.

Especially since it came with a win attached. 

The Wolfpack  (5-6, 3-3) swept visiting Missoula Big

Sky 25-13, 25-15, 25-19 on Tuesday night. 

“For us, there was a focus to take us to .500,” said

Glacier coach Christy Harkins.

Lexy Boschee had eight kills and served three aces.

Dayna Niebaum added seven kills and Cassidy Hashley and Rachel

Chery had four blocks apiece.

Glacier had to do some quick maneuvering with its’

lineup this week when middle hitter Tiffany Marks became ill on

Sunday. 

The Wolfpack moved sophomore middle Hashley into

Marks’ spot and put junior middle Chery in Hashley’s spot.

“Rachel stepped up and did a good job, especially

with a one-day turnaround to figure that out,” Harkins said.

The Wolfpack appeared to have everything down pretty

well — it was operating on all cylinders in the first set.

Big Sky (5-9, 2-4) scored just two points on its’ own

serve in that set.

“We are working to cut down on our unforced errors.

They were better tonight, but we still have a ways to go,” Harkins

said.

The Wolfpack is sitting fifth in Western AA in

hitting efficiency — but it is second in number of kills.

“Which means we are making a ton of errors,” she

said. 

The only criticism Harkins could come up with for the

Wolfpack was the set three letdown.

Glacier, up two sets, led the Eagles 16-7 in the

third game, but Big Sky rallied to within five points behind the

hitting of junior Ellen Wolferman.

“We’re still working (on that),” Harkins said. 

Glacier has been able to come out strong in most

matches this fall, she said.

“It’s the finish, the killer instinct that we have to

work on.”

Glacier def. Missoula Big Sky 25-13, 25-15, 25-19

Kills — Big Sky 22 (Ellen Wolferman 6), Glacier 31

(Lexy Boschee 8, Dayna Niebaum 7), Assists — Big Sky 12 (Shannon

O’Reilly 12), Glacier 25 (Hannah Liss 23); Blocks — Big Sky 5

(Wolferman 5), Glacier 8 (Cassidy Hashley 4, Rachel Chery 4); Digs

— Big Sky 24 (Brielle Rolle 8), Glacier 43 (Amy Snipstead 9, Emily

Gilbertson 8); Aces — Big Sky 3 (No leader); Glacier 6 (Boschee

3).