Bravettes wind up 2nd at Class AA state volleyball
BOZEMAN — The Flathead Bravettes fell short in their bid for a state volleyball title, losing 25-23, 25-12, 25-9 to Billings Senior in the Class AA state championship game Saturday afternoon at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse.
Flathead (21-6) stood toe-to-toe with unbeaten Senior (32-0) the first set, but Senior’s offense erupted in the second set and maintained that momentum in the third.
Flathead lost a hard-fought four-set semifinal match to Senior the previous day at the double-elimination tournament. While that match was closer on the scoreboard, Flathead coach Leon Wilcox said his team passed and served better in the rematch, but couldn’t slow down Senior’s hitters.
“I think that was a whole new Senior team,” Wilcox said. “They came out unbelievably strong. I haven’t seen Senior play like that all season long. We didn’t really have any answers for them.”
Senior outhit Flathead 44-25 and had three hitters with at least nine kills in Taylor Mims (12), Kiahna Steiner (12) and Andrea Bowers (9).
“They were coming at us from everywhere and coming at us hard,” Wilcox said.
“My girls played hard. I thought they played with everything they had, we just couldn’t stop them.”
While Flathead came up short of its ultimate goal, its second-place finish earned the school its first volleyball trophy at the state tournament since 2007 when the Bravettes placed third.
“It was a success,” teary-eyed Flathead senior Emily Russell said.
Fellow seniors Kwyn Johnson and Cassie Krueger shared that sentiment.
“The only reason we’re crying is because we don’t want to leave this team,” Krueger said. “This season was a total success.”
The Bravettes accomplished most of their other goals. They won the Western AA conference title with a 12-0 regular season conference record, they went unbeaten in best of five matches and they swept crosstown-rival Glacier, beating the Wolfpack in both conference matches and again in the quarterfinals of the state tournament. Flathead’s only losses outside the state tournament came in abbreviated two-set matches at the Great Falls and Missoula tournaments.
“We made history,” Johnson said. “Even getting second place we made history.”
The first set of the title match included four ties early before Senior won 10 of 12 points to take a 16-8 lead. A pair of kills by Krueger and an ace by Russell helped the Bravettes cut their deficit to 23-21 later in the set before a Flathead hitting error set up set point. Johnson pounded a kill to fight off the first set point. Then a Senior hitting error made it 24-23. A hard serve from Krueger yielded a free ball on the third set point, but Johnson was called for a lift on the ensuing attack.
Senior quickly took control of the second set, recording five straight points before Flathead got on the board. With Senior leading 11-6 later in the set, the Broncs imposed their will at the net, tallying nine straight points to take a 14-point lead. Mims led the charge with four kills and a block during the nine-point run.
“She came out of nowhere,” Wilcox said of Mims.
The 6-foot-3 middle hitter had been having a quiet state tournament prior to the championship match.
“Taylor had been pretty much a no-show until today,” Senior coach Jeff Carrol said.
“She’s just been struggling for whatever reason, but she came to play today offensively and defensively. She just made some critical plays.”
Senior’s nine-point run ended when Mims made contact with the net while swinging for a kill, but Flathead scored just four more points as Senior won the set 25-12.
Much like the second set, Senior pulled away early in the third, winning 18 of the first 23 points. Flathead scored back-to-back points to make the score 18-7 before Senior won seven of the last nine.
Despite the lopsided score, Carrol praised Flathead for pushing the Broncs in the semifinal the night before and again in the first set of the title match.
“I have nothing but respect for those guys,” Carrol said.
“They’re a great team, and if you’re going to win a state championship, you want to win it against a quality opponent like Kalispell.”
Wilcox said the Bravettes should be proud of what they accomplished.
“It was a great season,” he said. “There should be no regrets.”
Kills - Senior 44 (Taylor Mims 12, Kiahna Steiner 12, Andrea Bowers 9), Flathead 25 (Kwyn Johnson 10). Assists - Senior 35 (Jace Henderson 34), Flathead 24 (Emily Russell 23). Aces - Senior 5 (Kierney Findon 2, Steiner 2), Flathead 6 (Russell 3). Blocks - Senior 11 (Mims 6), Flathead 4 (Emma Andrews 3). Digs - Senior 48 (Jessica Haley 16), Flathead 33 (Iris Matulevich 7).
Semifinal
Flathead 3, Helena 0
Earlier on Saturday, Flathead’s dominant block stifled Helena’s offense in a 25-13, 25-14, 28-26 win in the loser-out semifinal.
Led by six blocks from Johnson, the Bravettes tallied 15 as a team and held Helena (20-10) to 21 kills.
A hot start quickly swayed the match’s momentum in Flathead’s favor. The Bravettes took an early 3-1 lead before extending their advantage to 10-5. A pair of kills by Sarah Risenhoover, a block from Russell and a tip by Johnson swelled the Flathead lead to 18-10 later in the set.
A kill by Helena’s Kaitlyn Oliver, who hit 16 of the Bengals’ 21 kills, made the score 21-13 before Flathead won four consecutive points to close out the set.
Flathead trailed 12-8 in the second set before Makayla Moore, Krueger and Risenhoover hit three consecutive kills. Krueger knotted it at 14 with another kill before a service error returned the lead to Helena.
Flathead went back on top after a kill by Krueger and an ace from Nouf Rashoodi. Helena scored on a tip to cut its deficit to one before the Bravettes finished the set with 10 consecutive points.
Helena pushed Flathead in a third set that included eight ties, but Flathead prevailed 28-26.
Kills - Flathead 40 (Cassie Krueger 15), Helena 21 (Kaitlyn Oliver 16). Assists - Flathead 38 (Emily Russell 35), Helena 19 (Dani Norling 18). Aces - Flathead 6 (Iris Matulevich 3), Helena 4 (no leader). Blocks - Flathead 15 (Kwyn Johnson 6), Helena 4 (Sarah Bryson 3). Digs - Flathead 43 (Matulevich 12), Helena 39 (Kerstie Ward 12).
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Class A
Championship
Laurel def. Frenchtown
25-17, 26-24, 25-19
Kills – Lau 35 (Dalayna Christenson 10); French 25 (Jayden Ross 8). Aces – Lau 4 (Jayde Lefevre 2); French 4 (Josie Anderson 2, Hayley Cyr 2). Assists – Lau 28 (Lefevre 25); French 22 (Josie Anderson 10). Blocks – Lau 12 (Christenson 4); French 9 (Faith Baur 5). Digs – Lau 142 (Bailey Kennedy 27); French 66 (Jadan Ross 13).
1st match
Laurel def. Frenchtown
25-23, 22-25, 25-22, 25-22
Kills – Lau 54 (Amanda Taylor 16); French 51 (Morgan Ray 24). Aces – Lau 9 (Jayde Lefevre 4); French Vanessa Stavish 3). Assists – Lau 45 (Lefevre 45); French 43 (Josie Anderson 22). Blocks – Lau 6 (Taylor 2.5); French 3 (Faith Baur 2). Digs – Lau 154 (Bailey Kennedy 57); French 71 (Jadan Ross 18).
Third-place match
Laurel def. Billings Central
25-14, 25-22, 23-25, 25-1
Kills: Lau 43 (Amanda Taylor 16); BC 39 (Justyn Juhl 12). Aces: Lau 6 (Jayde Lefever 2, Josie Gordon 2). Blocks: Lau 21 (Taylor 3); BC 9 (Jenny Garber 3, Casey Tehle 3). Digs: Lau 139 (Gordon 27); BC 82 (Nicole Wildin 22). Assists: Lau 31 (Lefevre 28); BC 31 (Baylee Hadley 31).
Class B
Championship
Huntley Project def. Red Lodge
25-23, 25-19, 25-13
Kills – HP 43 (Bailey Cranford 18, Stormy Siemion 18); RL 27 (Tess Hellerud 14). Aces – HP 3 (Cady Siemion 2); RL 3 (N/A). Assists – HP 35 (Keera Stookey 33); RL 27 (Carter Theade 27). Blocks – HP 12 (C. Siemion 5); RL 2 (Bailie Cortner 1). Digs – HP 60 (Brianna Decock 15); RL 42 (Rylee Kane 19).
1st match
Huntley Project def. Red Lodge
25-23, 25-20, 25-14
Kills – HP 46 (Stormy Siemion 27); RL 25 (Tess Hellerud 11). Aces – HP 7 (Kaitlyn McLaughlin 4); RL 5 (Rylee Kane 4). Assists – HP 46 (Keera Stookey 41); RL 25 (Carter Theade 24). Blocks – HP 4 (Siemion 3); RL 7 (Bailie Cortner 3.5). Digs – HP 69 (Brianna Decock 23); RL 43 (Rylee Kane 14).
Third-place match
Huntley Project def. Florence-Carlton 25-17, 27-25, 25-11.
Kills: HP 43 (Stormy Siemion 24); FC 35 (Courtney Byrne 12). Aces: HP 8 (three with 2); FC 3 (Megan Byrne 3). Blocks: HP 4 (Courtney Smith 2); FC 9 (Hayley Lole 5). Digs: HP 66 (Siemion 16); FC 50 (Karli Cotton 19). Assists: HP 36 (Keera Stookey 34); FC 25 (Makenzie Barck 13).
Class C
Championship
Gardiner def. Roy/Winifred
25-18, 25-12, 25-8
Kills – Gar 35 (Hannah Dean 16); R/W 16 (Arkey Knerr 4, Danyce McClure 4), Aces – Gar 9 (Kelley Harbach 4); R/W 1 (Denae McClure). Assists – Gar 30 (Tess Thomas 27); R/W 14 (Hayley Siroky 13). Blocks – Gar 8 (Dean 2.5); R/W 3 (Emily Bergum 1, Da. McClure 1, Siroky 1). Digs – Gar 82 (Harbach 22); R/W 66 (Shelby Smith 23).
Third-place match
Roy-Winifred def. Reed Point Rapelje 25-23, 25-23, 19-25, 25-21
Kills: RW 57 (Arley Knerr 20); RPR 50 (Shae Bruuresmea 18). Aces: 6 (Shelby Smith 4); RPR 8 (Brooke Krieger 5). Blocks: RW 6 (Rayann Brown 4); RPR 10 (Mikaela Marsh 5.5). Digs: 142 (Smith 44); RPR 116 (Whitney Bare 23). Assits: RW 48 (Hayley Sirnky 44); RPR 46 (Maira Ambriz 40).