Flathead volleyball powers past Capital in four

Playing with the limited use of their biggest star, the Flathead Bravettes still managed to beat Helena Capital in four sets, 25-19, 28-30, 25-23, 25-11, Friday night in a Western AA conference home volleyball match.

Flathead senior Kwyn Johnson was nursing a sore shoulder, leaving the Bravettes to adjust to not having full use the big hitter.

“She wasn’t really in the offense much,” Flathead coach Leon Wilcox said. “Once we started picking up a little rhythm without her, our attack did better.”

The Bravettes got a big win in the first set, but were back and forth in the tight second and third sets. Finally comfortable in the fourth, Flathead took off.

“Our serving really opened up opportunities in that fourth set,” Wilcox said. “Emily (Russell) was really coming at them hard. That really threw them off. (Capital) gave us a lot of free balls. The girls did a good job capitalizing on those.”

Russell led the team with five aces, 15 digs and 38 assists. Cassie Krueger, the Bravettes’ other power hitter, led the team with 19 kills. Sarah Risenhoover had four blocks.

Flathead hosts Helena High this afternoon at 1.

Flathead def. Helena Capital 25-19, 28-30, 25-23, 25-11

Kills — F 44 (Cassie Krueger 19), C 35 (Julia Anderson 10); Blocks — F 7 (Sarah Risenhoover 4), C 13 (Anderson 7); Assists — F 42 (Emily Russell 38), C 31 (Erin Hines 18); Digs — F 67 (Emma Andrews, Emily Russell 15), C 61 (Elise Mathis 18); Aces — F 11 (Russell 5), C 7 (Hines 2).