Volleyball: Flathead pounds Pack, wins first crosstown match since 2012

Flathead’s front line recorded 20.5 blocks to lead the Bravettes to their first crosstown volleyball win since 2012, 25-16, 27-25, 22-25, 25-19 against Glacier on Tuesday night.

“Our front row shut them down,” first-year Flathead coach Courtney Baker said. “Tiana Johnson and Alyssa Wisher, our two middles, are what’s going to set us apart.”

The 6-foot-2 Johnson and 5-foot-11 Wisher each had seven blocks as the Bravettes pulled out an emotional victory in front of a boisterous crowd at Flathead’s cozy gym.

“It was an awesome environment,” Baker said. “The way the girls prepared, they were so ready for this. The focus is so different.”

“This is a great gym to play in,” Glacier coach Christy Harkins added. “It’s so personal; it’s awesome. The crowds were good and the student bodies were great.”

Early, it looked like Flathead would cruise to a win as the Bravettes trailed for only one point in the first set and raced out to an 8-3 lead in the second behind three Johnson blocks.

The Wolfpack recovered with a 9-1 run but, as would become a theme throughout the match, Glacier could not sustain the momentum. Leading 23-20 in the second, back-to-back errors gave the Bravettes life and another Wolfpack error gave the set to Flathead, 27-25.

“We’re inconsistent,” Harkins said. “We do some good things and then we do some really, kind of, inexperienced things.”

So is a lack of experience to blame for Glacier’s recent on-court woes?

“I’m hoping so,” Harkins quipped.

The Wolfpack (7-6, 0-4 Western AA) won the conference a season ago but graduated seven seniors from that team.

Their crosstown rivals, meanwhile, start five seniors and have their eyes set on a conference title this fall. Beating Glacier on their home court was a good start for Baker and her charges.

“We talked a lot this week about how courageous and strong teams are the teams that go out and play the same no matter who they’re playing,” Baker said. “It doesn’t matter if they’re playing crosstown or in the state championship game, and the girls proved that they could do it tonight.”

Flathead (5-1, 3-1 Western AA) raced out to a 20-14 lead in the third set and seemed poised for a sweep before Glacier found its rhythm. Down 21-18, the Wolfpack closed the game on a 7-1 spurt that featured late kills from Ali Williams (2), Taylor Salonen (2) and Nikki Krueger.

“(Our girls) have some fight in them and they’re willing to keep battling out there,” Harkins said. “That’s definitely a positive we’ll take from (this match).”

The decisive set followed a similar script, with Flathead surging ahead 18-8 before the Wolfpack scored eight quick points in a row. A service error stopped the Glacier run and after back-to-back Lizzie Sherwood aces made it 23-17, it was a final errant Wolfpack serve that ended the match.

Meagan Gillespie had a match-high 12 kills for Glacier while Marisa Postovit led the way for the Bravettes with 11 kills. Salonen had five blocks for the Wolfpack in a losing effort.

Baker and the Bravettes return to the court Thursday night in Missoula against Hellgate.

“I told them they better enjoy it tonight,” Baker said. “We’re done with this game and we’ve got to move forward to look at what’s coming because we want that number one spot.”

Glacier is also in action Thursday night, hosting Missoula Big Sky at 7 p.m.

Flathead def. Glacier 25-16, 27-25, 22-25, 25-19

Kills — Glacier 46 (Meagan Gillespie 12), Flathead 37 (Marisa Postovit 11); Assists — Glacier 38 (Abby Schrade 36), Flathead 27 (Xio Lopp 25); Digs — Glacier 87 (Hailee Bennett 35), Flathead 100 (Lopp 23); Blocks — Glacier 11 (Taylor Salonen 5), Flathead 20.5 (Tiana Johnson, Alyssa Wisher 7); Aces — Glacier 3 (no leader), Flathead 5 (Lizzie Sherwood 2).