Volleyball roundup: Whitefish wins; Thompson Falls, Libby reach District 7B championship match
WHITEFISH — Whitefish survived a scare from Columbia Falls, defeating the Wildkats in five sets on senior night 25-16, 27-25, 17-25, 15-25, 18-16 in the last Northwestern A match for each before the divisional tournament.
Whitefish won the first two sets, edging out the second in extra points. Columbia Falls answered with two emphatic sets, but Whitefish had more in the end, beating the ’Kats in extra points in the final set.
Columbia Falls’ Morgan Stenger had a match-high 27 kills and four blocks and Cydny Finberg had 35 assists. Kaitlyn Cassaza led the Wildkats with 19 digs and KJ Schweikert had 3 aces.
Cailyn Ross had 13 kills to lead Whitefish and Allie Schulz had three blocks. Serena Hemmingson had 14 digs, Ellie Dewan four aces and Libby Nagler 23 assists for the Bulldogs.
The Western A divisional tournament begins Thursday in Hamilton.
Whitefish def. Columbia Falls 25-16, 27-25, 17-25, 15-25, 18-16
Kills—CF 84 (Morgan Stenger 27), Whitefish 45 (Cailyn Ross 13). Blocks—CF 8 (Stenger 4), Whitefish 3 (Allie Schulz 3). Assists—CF 37 (Cydney Finberg 35), Whitefish 46 (Libby Nagler 23). Digs—CF 86 (Kaitlyn Cassaza 19), Whitefish 55 (Serena Hemmingson 14). Aces—CF 10 (KJ Schweikert 3), Whitefish 9 (Ellie Dewan 4).
District 7B Tournament
THOMPSON FALLS — Eureka swept Bigfork in the third place game at the District 7B volleyball tournament on Saturday, 25-17, 25-10, 25-21.
Libby and Thompson Falls were scheduled to meet in the championship match. No results were available at press time.
The Lions lost a tight five-set match to the Loggers in the semifinals before their emphatic victory to claim third place. Amanda Peterson had 13 kills against the Valkyries to lead all players and Sienne Utter added five of Eureka’s 12 aces.
The top four finishers in the tournament — Libby, Thompson Falls, Bigfork and Eureka — all advance to next week’s Class B Divisional tournament in Libby.
Third-place game
Eureka def. Bigfork, 25-17, 25-10, 25-21.
Kills – Eureka 35 (Amanda Peterson 13), Bigfork 16 (Lana Berg 6). Blocks – Eureka 3 (Peterson 2), Bigfork 1 (Berg). Digs – Eureka 57 (Rylee Morgan 17), Bigfork 39 (Julia Saunders 6). Assists – Eureka 33 (Liz Pacello 18), Bigfork 19 (Kalia Wickland 14). Aces – Eurkea 12 (Sienne Utter 5), Bigfork 7 (Sami Varner 2).
Semifinals
Libby def. Eureka 25-22, 25-19, 16-25, 25-14, 15-11.
Kills – Libby 33 (Mehki Sykes 9), Eureka 44 (Amanda Peterson 19). Blocks – Libby 13 (Emily Mossburg 8), Eureka 10 (Peterson 5). Digs – Libby 60 (Bailie Rosling 14), Eureka 99 (Kaylee Kransper). Assists – Libby 27 (Ashley Walker 15), Eureka 44 (Liz Parella 23). Aces – Libby 14 (Sykes 8), Eureka 9 (Rylee Morgan 3).
Thompson Falls def. Bigfork 22-25, 23-25, 25-21, 25-12, 15-12
Kills – Thompson Falls 49 (Shey Hannum 14), Bigfork 32 (Miranda Campbell 11). Blocks – Thompson Falls 11 (Autrey Hannum 6), Bigfork 8 (Lana Berg 4). Digs – Thompson Falls 39 (Megan McKenzie 12), Bigfork 85 (Berg 17). Assists – Thompson Falls 42 (Haley Wilson 33), Bigfork 23 (Kalia Campbell 22). Aces – Thompson Falls 17 (McKenzie 5), Bigfork 16 (Berg 5).
Play-in game
Bigfork def. Troy 25-18, 17-25, 25-12, 25-16.
Kills – Bigfork 35 (Lana Berg 11), Troy 26 (Alyssa Lewis 9). Blocks – Bigfork 6 (Miranda Campbell 3), Troy 7 (Alyssa Lewis 4). Digs – Bigfork 60 (Lana Berg 12), Troy 52 (Kaitlyn Downey 23). Assists – Bigfork 33 (Kalia Wickland 29), Troy 23 (Allie Brown 23). Aces – Bigfork 14 (Kalia Wickland 4, Jamie Berg 4), Troy 10 (Allie Brown 3, Olivia Roach 3).