Bravettes blast Sentinel in 4 sets
MISSOULA — The Flathead volleyball team ground out a four-set victory at Missoula Sentinel on Saturday, beating the Spartans, 25-10, 25-23, 17-25, 25-20.
After dominating the first set, the Bravettes had to fight past a tough Sentinel team, ekeing out the second and fourth sets.
“The first game Sentinel gave us a lot of unforced errors,” Flathead coach Leon Wilcox said. “Almost in a way it put us to sleep.
“They came back with all they had the rest of the match. I have to hand it to Sentinel, that’s the best we’ve seen them all year.”
The Bravettes (7-0 in Western AA, 11-2 overall) remain in first place in the conference and will host Glacier on Thursday for the second crosstown match this season.
“From where we’re sitting in the league, teams are going to come after us,” Wilcox said. “It was a good eye opener for the girls.”
Kills — S 32 (Olivia Roberts 9), F 40 (Kwyn Johnson 13, Cassie Krueger 12); Assists — S 27 (Madi McCarthy 21), F 36 (Emily Russell 34); Blocks — S 8 (McCarthy 3), F 11 (Sarah Risenhoover 4); Aces — S 11 (Olivia Roberts 6), F 12 (Emma Andrews 5); Digs — S 51 (Lauren Cady 19), F 42 (Andrews 12, Iris Matulevich 10).
Whitefish 3, Polson 1
POLSON — Whitefish bounced back from a loss in the first set to take the next three and the match, 21-25, 25-22, 25-20, 25-21.
Polson struggled on its serve in the match, committing seven serving errors in the fourth set alone.
“It was very close, back and forth,” Polson coach Jan Toth said.
“Whitefish just keeps coming at you. They are quick, they are just a fun team to watch and they don’t give up.”
Aces — WF 13 (Bailee Tveidt), P 11 (Chelsea Chowning 4); Kills — WF 48 (Emily Sullivan), P 48 (Heidi Raucsh 17, Chloie Huerta 12); Assists — WF 38 (Bekah Weaver), P 40 (Shalaina Duford 38); Blocks — WF 2, P 4 (Rausch 2); Digs — WF 53 (Tveidt), P 77 (Mackenzie Banner 13, Rausch 12).
Columbia Falls 3, Libby 0
LIBBY — Columbia Falls played stout defense, carding six blocks and 60 digs in three sets to sweep Libby, 26-24, 25-18, 26-24.
“We had opportunities and didn’t take advantage of them in the two close (sets),” Libby coach Cindy Ostrem-Johnston said.
Aces — CF 9 (Ashton Berta, Ciera Finberg, Hope Burlage, Haley Belgarde, 2), L 12 (Lauren Wettrecht, Daylin Germany 3); Kills — CF 26 (Belgarde 11), L 30 (Wettrecht 10); Assists — CF 18 (Alli Dierenfield 14), L 25 (Hannah England 23); Blocks — CF 6 (Finberg 3), L 0; Digs — CF 60 (Burlage 15), L 50 (Mahalah Wedel 14).
Thompson Falls 3, Eureka 1
THOMPSON FALLS — Eureka took the first set but lost the next three, dropping a conference match to Thompson Falls, 20-25, 25-21, 25-17, 25-23.
Kills — E 30 (Jenna Peterson 10), TF 45 (Hope Reid 22); Blocks — E 7 (Peterson 3), TF 13 (Reid 5, Kelsey Fitchett 5); Digs — E 57 (Alex Holland 22), T 72 (Logan Beckman 19); Assists — E u/a, TF 42 (Allison Vaught 36). Aces — E 5 (Mikala Grave 2, Carli Allen 2), TF 9 (Erica Sorlie 4).
Bigfork 3, Plains 1
BIGFORK — Bigfork dropped Plains 12-25, 25-10, 25-18, 26-24 to pick up its first victory of the season in a District 7B contest.
“It was good to see the girls were fired up and ready to play hard,” Bigfork coach Tracy Wicklund said.
“They were real aggressive in everything they did. They worked hard for it.”
Tessa Robertson had eight kills and four blocks for Bigfork (1-8 overall, 1-3 league).
Kills — Plains 27 (Leah Thompson 9), Bigfork 26 (Tessa Robertson 8, Marissa Hiza 6); Blocks — Plains 5 (Jessica Hansen 2, Thompson 2), Bigfork 4 (Robertson 4); Digs — Plains 29 (Kimberly Earhart 13), Bigfork 46 (Alanis Stallknecht 11, Brittany Schnell 9); Assists — Plains 20 (Felicia Earhart 10, Sami Kinzie 9), Bigfork 16 (Josie Spoklie 9); Aces — Plains 8 (F. Earhart 4), Bigfork 16 (Stallknecht 5, Hiza 5).