Crosstown volleyball: Flathead wins final three sets to complete season sweep

The band was rocking, the student section was at full throat and the Glacier Wolfpack — desperately in need of a season-turning win — pulled off a dramatic first-set comeback on its home court to jump ahead of its crosstown rivals.

Then the wheels fell off.

Flathead blasted the Wolfpack in the second set and vanquished Glacier for the second time this year on Thursday night, 24-26, 25-13, 25-21, 27-25.

“What I saw in that second game was my team,” first-year Flathead coach Courtney Baker said. “That first game, I wasn’t even sure who they were part of the time.

“It feels good (to win crosstown),” she continued. “More than that, they were both really great games. (The wins) weren’t easy by any means, it was a battle. (Crosstown) is a super fun volleyball game.”

The win keeps the Bravettes (9-2, 7-1) tied atop the Western AA standings and extended Flathead’s winning streak to seven matches.

Like in the first crosstown match on Sept. 22, Bravettes junior Tiana Johnson was the star, but this time it was her offensive prowess on display. Johnson had 12 kills, including a pair late in a dramatic fourth and final set.

“If I were to go to battle with anybody, I would want to go to battle with Tiana,” Baker said. “When push comes to shove she’s reliable and she’s going to do everything in her power to win that game. She had a great night with some big kills and stepped up again to take hold of the game.”

The Bravettes roared out to an 11-2 lead in the second set and went on three separate runs of at least five unanswered points to even the match.

But Glacier did not quit, and took a 15-13 lead in the third set when junior Abigail Fiske had to leave the match with an injured finger. Moments later, Flathead would go on a 7-2 run to take control.

“(Fiske) was doing a great job, she was really killing the ball well and did some good things at the net,” Glacier head coach Christy Harkins said. “But (freshman) Kali Gulick stepped in there and I thought she did a great job, too.”

The Wolfpack (8-8, 1-6) played right with its rivals again in the fourth set, claiming a 24-22 lead late before the Bravettes pulled out the win.

In a frustrating season for the Wolfpack, it was more of the same on Thursday.

“There was definitely some inconsistency,” Harkins said. “We’re still battling through it. I can’t fault effort, I thought effort was great.”

Nikki Krueger had 10 kills to lead the Wolfpack. Taylor Salonen added three blocks.

Glacier wore pink uniforms in support of Pack the Place in Pink, a statewide fundraiser first set up in support of breast cancer survivor Vicki Carle, the longtime volleyball coach at Billings Skyview.

The foundation started in 2007 and the Wolfpack has participated each of the last five years. Much of the crowd was in pink and both teams wore matching pink t-shirts during warmups. Those t-shirts were also sold at the match as a fundraiser.

“It’s a really cool thing for the kids to be a part of,” Harkins said. “It’s cool to be a part of something a little bigger than yourself and help out a great cause.”

Marisa Postovit equaled Johnson’s 12 kills to lead all players. Xio Lopp had a match-high six blocks and 34 assists for Flathead.

The Bravettes return to the court Tuesday at home against Missoula Hellgate at 7 p.m. Glacier goes back to work Saturday at Missoula Sentinel at 2 p.m.

Flathead def. Glacier 24-26, 25-13, 25-21, 27-25

Kills — Flathead 44 (Tiana Johnson, Marisa Postovit 12), Glacier 22 (Nikki Krueger 10). Assists — Flathead 34 (Xio Lopp 34), Glacier 21 (McKenna Johnson 10). Digs — Flathead 85 (Lizzie Sherwood 22), Glacier 70 (Brietta Russell 22). Blocks — Flathead 15 (Lopp 6), Glacier 9 (Taylor Salonen 3). Aces — Flathead 4 (Johnson, Sherwood 2), Glacier 12 (no leader).

Records — Glacier (8-8, 1-6), Flathead (9-2, 7-1)