Northwestern A divisional: C-Falls spikers state bound
LIBBY — Columbia Falls punched its ticket to the Class A state volleyball tournament on Friday evening by defeating Frenchtown 3-1 in the Northwestern A Divisional semifinals.
The Wildkats won 25-23, 19-25, 25-23, 26-24.
“I think it was an excellent day,” Columbia Falls coach Josie Brown said.
“Frenchtown came out swinging at us and challenged us and that was good for us to see another team competing at a high level.”
Ciera Finberg had 18 kills and four blocks to guide the Wildkats
“She had the game of her life,” Brown said.
“She was solid at the net. She never gave up the fight and led the team.”
Columbia Falls had 47 kills to 44 for Frenchtown. The Wildkats held a slight edge in blocks, 12-11.
“We played really well,” Frenchtown coach Gypsy Ray said.
“We were ahead at one time in every single set, but when it counted we couldn’t finish. We had a lot of simple mistakes. If we could have tightened that up a little bit, we could have gone five games and possibly won.”
Columbia Falls had a first-round bye, but stopped Polson 25-16, 25-21, 25-13 in second- round action while Frenchtown beat Libby 25-18, 31-29, 25-22 to advance.
Four teams are left in divisional play.
Libby faces Polson in a loser-out match today at noon. That winner moves on to challenge Frenchtown at 2 p.m.
The 2 p.m. winner advances to the title match with Columbia Falls.
The top two teams advance to state.
Frenchtown is looking to join Columbia Falls at state for the third-straight year.
Semifinal
Columbia Falls def. Frenchtown
25-23, 19-25, 25-23, 26-24
Kills — Columbia Falls 47 (Ciera Finberg 18, Carla Nicosia 10), Frenchtown 44 (Maura Wear 12, Morgan Ray 11); Blocks — Columbia Falls 12 (Finberg 4, Winter Kemppainen 4), Frenchtown 11 (Ray 4): Assists — Columbia Falls 43 (Cydney Finberg 40), Frenchtown 39 (Haley Cyr 36); Digs — Columbia Falls 49 (Shaylene Fisher 20, Kemppainen 10), Frenchtown 87 (Lacey Hochhalter 22; Aces — Columbia Falls 14 (Kiara Burlage 6), Frenchtown 8 (Ray 3).
First Round
Polson def. Whitefish
25-23, 25-15, 25-20
Kills — Polson 38 (Chadelle Smith 12, Haley Fyant 7), Whitefish 21 (Myndi Holbrook 8, Allie Schulz 6); Blocks — Polson 2 (Smith 2), Whitefish 4 (Holbrook 2); Assists — Polson 21 (Jaiden Toth 19), Whitefish 19 (Schulz 12, Libby Nagler 5); Digs — Polson 76 (Libby Clay 18, Toth 16, Lydia Dupuis 15), Whitefish 57 (Schulz 14, Maura Kalbfleisch 10, Nagler 10); Aces — Polson 14 (Lauren Lefthand 4, Toth 3), Whitefish 7 (Nagler 4, Ellie Dewan 2).
Second Round
Columbia Falls def. Polson
25-16, 25-21, 25-13
Kills — Columbia Falls 36 (Ciera Finberg 9, Carla Nicosia 9, Kiara Burlage 7, Winter Kemppainen 6); Polson 27 (Haley Fyant 7, Chadelle Smith 6); Blocks — Columbia Falls 8 (Ciera Finberg 2, Cydney Finberg 2, Kemppainen 2, Nicosia 2), Polson 2 (Smith 1, Jaiden Toth 1); Assists — Columbia Falls 33 (Cydney Finberg 28), Polson 23 (Toth 23); Digs — Columbia Falls 35 (Kemppainen 8, Cydney Finberg 7, Shaylene Fishel 7), Polson 52 (Libby Clay 19, Sarah Rausch 10); Aces — Columbia Falls 11 (Cydney Finberg 4, Burlage 3), Polson 1 (Toth 1).
Frenchtown def. Libby
25-18, 31-29, 25-22
Kills — Frenchtown 36 (Morgan Ray 12, Faith Bauer 12), Libby NA; Blocks — Frenchtown 7 (Ray 2, Haley Cyr 2), Libby NA; Assists — Frenchtown 30 (Cyr 29), Libby NA; Digs — Frenchtown 62 (Lacey Hochhalter 16), Libby NA; Aces — Frenchtown 11 (Ray 3, Maura Wear 3), Libby NA.
Loser Out
Libby def. Whitefish
25-23, 25-21, 25-15
Kills — Libby 39 (Devon Gallagher 10, Hailley Moe 9, Hannah England 7), Whitefish 26 (Myndi Holbrook 7, Cailyn Ross 7); Blocks — Libby 9 (Cierra Stewart 3, Moe 3, Gallagher 2), Whitefish 3 (Holbrook 2); Assists — Libby 32 (Hannah England 17), Whitefish 21 (Libby Nagler 19); Digs — Libby 63 (Wedel 26, Moe 11, England 10), Whitefish 42 (Jordan Sweeney 11, Maura Kalbfleisch 10); Aces — Libby 15 (Wedel 6, England 3, Moe 3), Whitefish 4 (Nagler 2).