Bravettes battle back, top Pack

The Flathead Bravettes stormed back from a two-set deficit to defeat crosstown-rival Glacier in front of a roaring crowd at Flathead High School on Thursday, 24-26, 23-25, 25-21, 25-21, 15-13.

The lead changed hands multiple times in each of the five sets, but it was the Bravettes who won the points that mattered most in their final home game of the season.

“This was the last time we were going to have a crowd like this cheering for us and we weren’t going to let (Glacier) have it,” Flathead senior outside hitter Kwyn Johnson said.

“We knew we had to fight and we had what it takes,” Flathead setter Emily Russell added. “Once we lost the second set it was, OK, we need to step it up.”

Flathead coach Leon Wilcox said he knew his team wasn’t done after losing the first two sets.

“I could see in their eyes a new kind of focus,” he said. “After the first game it looked like shock and frustration. After the second game they just looked more focused. It looked like they put all the senior night stuff away and got down to playing.”

The Bravettes didn’t make any tactical adjustments after losing the second set, they simply dug deep and found a way to win.

“We just put our hearts into it,” Johnson said.

Flathead (8-0 Western AA, 12-2 overall) entered the match unbeaten in conference play and swept the Wolfpack in straight sets in their previous meeting at Glacier High School, but Glacier (4-3, 10-5) pushed the Bravettes much harder this time around.

Unlike the first crosstown match when Glacier only tallied four blocks, the Wolfpack piled up 16 blocks as middle blockers Tiffany Marks and Cassi Hashley made their presence felt at the net.

“They brought everything,” Wilcox said. “Glacier was aggressive hitting, their block gave us problems and I thought their passing was excellent.”

Flathead responded with a team effort that included 61 kills from six different players.

“This was truly a team effort because we played a lot of bench,” Wilcox said. “I think the fourth and fifth games our block started to wear on them. It forced them to change up and our back row did a great job of picking up their shots.”

Flathead also benefited from Johnson’s improving health. An all-state selection a year ago, Johnson has been nursing a shoulder injury most of the season, but she was able to swing away on a few occasions against Glacier and finished with a match-high 21 kills.

“It was great to get Kwyn some kills because we were missing that for a few games,” Russell said.

Wilcox said Johnson’s kills energized his team, especially a shot in the fourth set that Johnson smashed off the face of Glacier libero Kailea Vaudt.

“She’s not cleared to hit 100 percent yet, but with that crosstown rivalry she probably hit harder than she was supposed to,” Wilcox said.

The first set included 10 ties, but Glacier eventually prevailed 26-24 after Hashley smashed two kills to finish off the set.

The Bravettes fought off three consecutive set-points in the second before Glacier’s Hannah Atlee pounded a kill in front of Flathead’s Cassie Krueger in the back row.

Glacier led 17-15 in the third set when a kill by Sarah Risenhoover and back-to-back Glacier errors allowed the Bravettes to take a lead. Johnson scored Flathead’s next three points with a block and two kills, then her long arms forced Hashley to hit into the net, giving Flathead a 22-19 lead. The two teams traded the next four points, then Flathead freshman Abbie O’Brien served an ace to give the Bravettes their first set of the match.

Glacier led most of the fourth set until a five-point run gave Flathead a 20-18 lead. The Bravettes then won five of the next eight to even the match at two sets apiece.

Energized by the crowd, which Johnson said was the probably the biggest the Bravettes have ever had, Flathead carried its momentum into the fifth set, which ended when Krueger blasted a kill off Glacier’s back row.

The match was Flathead’s first five-setter of the season.

“It’s nerve-wracking, but at the same time it’s really good for us to be tested to that degree,” Wilcox said. “I’m proud of the girls. It’s probably the hardest thing in volleyball being down two sets and winning three straight.”

Flathead travels to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, today while Glacier hosts Missoula Sentinel Saturday.

    Kills - Glacier 43 (Cassi Hashley 13), Flathead 61 (Kwyn Johnson 21). Assists - Glacier 40 (Hannah Liss 38), Flathead 57 (Emily Russell 54). Aces - Glacier 5 (Hashley 2, Liss 2), Flathead 11 (Iris Matulevich 3). Blocks - Glacier 16 (Tiffany Marks 8), Flathead 10 (Sarah Risenhoover 4). Digs - Glacier 71 (Hashley 17), Flathead 78 (Emma Andrews 18).