Class A volleyball: Frenchtown, Columbia Falls grab state tournament berths

by The Daily Inter Lake
| November 3, 2012 10:55 PM

FRENCHTOWN — The Northwestern A divisional volleyball tournament closed like it started with Frenchtown topping Columbia Falls.

The two lowest seeds for the divisional finished off the two-day event with Frenchtown downing Columbia Falls 25-23, 25-13, 25-9 in the title match Saturday evening.

Frenchtown outlasted Columbia Falls in a wild opener on Friday, 29-27, 25-21, 18-25, 25-12.

Frenchtown and Columbia Falls both had just two conference wins during the regular season. Frenchtown was seeded No. 4 for the divisional tournament and Columbia Falls was No. 5.

Both teams advance to the state tournament in Bozeman, which begins Thursday. “It’s a young team, there’s not a single senior and I’m a brand new coach,” Frenchtown skipper Gypsy Ray told the Missoulian.

“We spent the entire season figuring out how to turn some great athletes into a great team. We really came together at the tournament.”

Columbia Falls advanced to the title match by sweeping top seed Whitefish 25-17, 25-22, 25-21 in a loser-out affair and then besting second seed Polson 25-17, 25-13, 15-25, 25-23 in a loser takes third-place match.

Columbia Falls finished divisional play with a 3-2 mark. Frenchtown went 4-0.

Loser-out match

Columbia Falls def. Whitefish, 25-17, 25-22, 25-21

Kills – Columbia Falls 22 (Hope Burlage, Haley Belgarde 8), Whitefish 28 (Baylee Tveidt 8). Blocks – Columbia Falls 6 (Belgarde 4), Whitefish 2 (two with 1). Digs – Columbia Falls 51 (Tiffany Hummer 20), Whitefish 2 (Emily Sullivan, Tveidt). Assists – Columbia Falls 23 (Alli Dierenfield 12), Whitefish 18 (Bekah Weaver 17). Aces – Columbia Falls 5 (Ashton Berta 2), Whitefish 5 (Weaver 3).

Loser takes third-place match

Columbia Falls def. Polson

25-17, 25-13, 15-25, 5-23

Kills – Columbia Falls 44 (Haley Belgarde 19), Polson 43 (Chloe Huerta 18). Blocks – Columbia Falls 8 (Hope Burlage 4), Polson 6 (Tanisha Matt 3). Digs – Columbia Falls 89 (Tiffany Hummer 27), Polson 111 (Jaiden Toth, Mackenzie Banner 23). Assists – Columbia Falls 35 (Alli Dierenfield 25), Polson 35 (Shalaina Duford 34). Aces – Columbia Falls 5 (Dierenfield, Ciera Finberg 2), Polson 10 (Banner 3).

Championship match

Frenchtown def. Columbia Falls 25-23, 25-13, 25-9

Kills – Columbia Falls 21 (Ciera Finberg 7), Frenchtown 31 (Jadan Ross 9). Blocks – Columbia Falls 4 (Winter Kemppainean 3), Frenchtown 6 (Morgan Ray 3). Digs – Columbia Falls 43 (Haley Belgarde 15), Frenchtown 44 (Josie Anderson 9). Assists – Columbia Falls 19 (Alli Dierenfield 15), Frenchtown 29 (Anderson 16). Aces – Columbia Falls 8 (Dierenfield, Kemppainean, Belgarde 2), Frenchtown 10 (Vanessa Stavish 4).