Glacier, Flathead spikers start 2-0

Glacier volleyball started its season off with a pair of sweeps in its opening set, beating Great Falls High and C.M. Russell in three sets on Saturday at Flathead.

The Wolfpack topped Great Falls with a power game from senior middle hitter Brielle Bumgarner, who led Glacier with 13 kills. The Wolfpack won the first set 25-20 and cruised in the last two 25-17 and 25-21.

Bumgarner also had three blocks in the match, tying teammate Nikki Krueger for the lead. Hailee Bennett had a match-high 12 digs and Katie Wile had five aces.

Glacier made quick work of CMR, winning 25-14, 25-16, 25-18. Bumgarner had nine kills along with Wiley and Tessa Krueger. Bumgarner also had five blocks and Kayla Russell had a pair of aces and five digs.

“I thought it was a good opening weekend,” Glacier coach Christy Harkins said. “The girls played fairly consistent throughout the day. I was proud of that.”

Glacier def. GFH 25-20, 25-17, 25-21

Kills- Glacier 31 (Brielle Bumgarner 13). Assists- Glacier 29 (Hannah Liss 29). Digs- Glacier 31 (Hailee Bennett 12). Blocks- Glacier 5 (Bumgarner 3, Nikki Krueger 3). Aces- Glacier 11 (Katie Wiley 5).

Glacier def. CMR 25-14, 25-16, 25-18

Kills- Glacier 37 (Wiley, Bumgarner, Tessa Krueger 9). Assists- Glacier 32 (Liss 30). Digs- Glacier 24 (Hailee Bennett 5, Kayla Russell 5). Blocks- Glacier 7 (Bumgarner 5) Aces- Glacier 5 (Kayla Russell 2).

Flathead 3, CMR 0

Flathead 3, Great Falls 1

Lizzie Sherwood had two huge matches to lead the Bravettes to a pair of opening wins against the Great Falls schools.

Sherwood had a team-high nine kills and 12 digs against CMR in the opening match, a quick three- set win over the Rustlers 25-19, 25-13, 25-15. Jessica Simmons and Xio Lopp split the setting duties, while Tiana Johnson had three blocks and Jourdan Schultz 19 digs for the Bravettes.

Flathead need four sets to top a tough Great Falls High side, going to extra points in the first set and dropping the third in the win (28-26, 25-16, 19-25, 25-22).

Sherwood had 12 kills and 24 digs for the Bravettes and Lopp had five blocks.

“I thought they played well,” Flathead coach Leon Wilcox said of his players.

“They were sharper than I thought they’d be in first go of season. Their passing and defense was very good. I was really pleased with that.

“They have to work on offense and keeping a mental consistency. They just need to be a little more fluid. But that is to be expected this early.”

Flathead def. CMR 25-19, 25-13, 25-15

Kills- Flathead 30 (Lizzie Sherwood 9, Marissa Postovit 7). Assists- Flathead 28 (Jessica Simmons 14, Xio Lopp 13). Digs- Flathead 52 (Jourdan Schultz 19, Sherwood 12). Blocks- Flathead 3 (Tiana Johnson 3). Aces- Flathead 9 (Jordyn Clare 3).

Flathead def. GFH

28-26, 25-16, 19-25, 25-22

Kills- Flathead 42 (Lizzie Sherwood 12, Jordyn Clare 9). Assists- Flathead 40 (Jessica Simmons 25). Digs- Flathead 92 (Sherwood 24, Abbie O’Brien 19). Blocks- Flathead 7 (Xio Lopp 5). Aces- Flathead 11 (Jourdan Schultz 3).

Corvallis 3, C-Falls 2

C-Falls 3, Hamilton 1

COLUMBIA FALLS — Columbia Falls pushed defending Class A state champ Corvallis to five sets and then came back to down Hamilton in the opener for all three schools.

Corvallis defeated Columbia Falls 21-25, 25-18, 16-25, 25-22, 15-10.

Columbia Falls downed Hamilton 14-25, 25-15, 25-16, 25-18.

“It was a good day, a good way to start at home,” Columbia Falls coach Josie Brown said.

“We came out solid, played great defense which allowed us to have a fast offense (against Corvallis). We were right there the whole way. Our defense kind of fell apart and it took us too long to get it back together.”

Carla Nicosia led the Wildkats in that match with 12 kills and shared the ace lead with Cydney Finberg — both had two.

Ciera Finberg had seven blocks.

“We played a lot more consistent against Hamilton,” Brown said.

“Our defense was better.”

Cydney Finberg had nine kills in that outing, 30 assists and 11 digs. Ciera Finberg finished with 11 digs and two blocks.

Columbia Falls is back on the court Friday and Saturday at the Northwestern A vs. Southwestern A Tournament in Frenchtown.

Columbia Falls def. Hamilton 14-25, 25-15, 25-16, 25-18

Kills — Hamilton 26 (Caitlin Gillespie 6, Shannon Casale 6), Columbia Falls 43 (Cydney Finberg 9); Blocks — Hamilton 5 (Enarie Majors 5), Columbia Falls 6 (Ciera Finberg 2); Assists — Hamilton 22 (Makayla Horvath 22), Columbia Falls 34 (Cydney Finberg 30); Digs — Hamilton 57 (Kloie Nye 21), Columbia Falls 61 (Cydney Finberg 11, Ciera Finberg 11); Aces — Hamilton 10 (Casale 5), Columbia Falls 6 (Carla Nicosia 2).

Corvallis def. Columbia Falls 21-25, 25-18, 16-25, 25-22, 15-10

Kills — Columbia Falls 42 (Nicosia 12); Blocks — Columbia Falls 16 (Ciera Finberg 7); Assists — Columbia Falls 28 (Cydney Finberg 27); Digs — Columbia Falls 59 (Shaylene Fishel 12); Aces — Columbia Falls 6 (Nicosia 2, Cydney Finberg 2).

No stats available for Corvallis.

Hamilton 3, Whitefish 2

Corvallis 3, Whitefish 1

WHITEFISH — Whitefish came up short against nonconference foes Hamilton and Corvallis in season-opening action.

Hamilton defeated Whitefish 13-25, 29-27, 20-25, 25-9, 15-13 while Corvallis, the defending state champions, prevailed 26-24, 25-7, 19-25, 25-14.

“Hamilton was much stronger than I expected,” Whitefish coach Sarah Scott said.

“They are very powerful and versatile. We had a hard time adjusting to their hitters. Overall, I thought the girls played defensively very well.”

The outing with Corvallis was an up and down affair.

“A streaky match for us,” she said.

“Both teams had some great games and rough games. We need to work on our consistency level, especially offensively.”

Scott said Maura Kalbfleisch “really stepped up. In the Hamilton match she brought the team together.”

She said Allie Schulz “played her heart out, had some amazing plays” versus Corvallis.

“Myndi Holbrook is a great offensive threat,” she added.

“She plays hard.”

Holbrook led Whitefish in kills in both matches with 13 versus Hamilton and 17 against Corvallis.

Whitefish is back on the court Friday and Saturday at the Northwestern A vs. Southwestern A Tournament in Frenchtown.

Hamilton def. Whitefish

13-25, 29-27, 20-25, 25-9, 15-13

Kills — Hamilton 54 (Shannon Casale 23), Whitefish 30 (Myndi Holbrook 13); Blocks — Hamilton 6 (Enarie Majors 3), Whitefish 7 (Holbrook 3); Assists — Hamilton 51 (Makalya Horvath 46), Whitefish 29 (Allie Schulz 25); Digs — Hamilton 54 (Kloie Nye 18), Whitefish 42 (Maura Kalbfleisch 12); Aces — Hamilton 11 (Nye 5), Whitefish 13 (Kalbfleisch 5).

Corvallis def. Whitefish

26-24, 25-7, 19-25, 25-14

Kills — Corvallis 33 (Jane Booth 10), Whitefish 37 (Holbrook 17); Blocks — Corvallis 7 (Kelsey Irwin 3), Whitefish 9 (Holbrook 3); Assists — Corvallis 19 (Holly Wilson 18), Whitefish 37 (Schulz 32); Digs — Corvallis 35 (Wilson 12), Whitefish 25 (Kate Doorn 9); Aces — Corvallis 7 (Irwin 3, Taia Tury 3), Whitefish 5 (Kalbfleisch 2).