VOLLEYBALL ROUNDUP: Bigfork edges Stillwater; Polson falls to Stevi
<p>Bigfork outside hitter Abbie Fraley kills the ball over a pair of Stillwater Christian defenders at Stillwater Christian on Tuesday. (Aaric Bryan/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
<p>Stillwater Christian sophomore Ramey Metzger digs out a ball during the third game against Bigfork at Stillwater Christian School on Tuesday. (Aaric Bryan/Daily Inter Lake)</p>
Bigfork fought back from a dropped first set to eke out a five-set victory against Stillwater Christian on Tuesday night in a nonconference volleyball match.
The Valkyries lost the first set 25-18 before taking the next two sets by the same score for a 2-1 lead. Stillwater took the fourth set in extra points 26-24 but couldn’t keep pace in the final few points, falling 15-11 in the fifth.
“It’s great to have some strong matches like this,” Stillwater Christian coach Diane Smith said. “We go to state next week. The girls are working well together, they played a great game tonight.”
Abbie Fraley had a match-high 17 kills to lead Bigfork and Brooke Fraley had three blocks. Kalia Wicklund led the Vals with 28 assists and four aces. Abby Ellison had 13 digs.
Stillwater’s Dorothy Smith had 13 kills and Ramey Metzger had 28 assists and four aces. Adrianna Lambert had a match-high 14 digs and four aces and Helen Hashley had a match-high five blocks.
The Cougars (12-6) play two non-conference varsity matches before heading to the MCAA state tournament in Bozeman. Stillwater plays at Ronan on Friday and at undefeated Columbia Falls on Saturday.
Bigfork plays at Troy on Saturday.
Bigfork def. Stillwater 18-25, 25-18, 25-18, 24-26, 15-11
Kills—Bigfork 37 (Abbie Fraley 17), Stillwater 36 (Dorothy Smith 13). Assists—Bigfork 29 (Kalia Wicklund 28), Stillwater 30 (Ramey Metzger 28). Blocks—Bigfork 6 (Brooke Fraley 3), Stillwater 7 (Helen Hashley 5). Digs—Bigfork 44 (Abby Ellison 13), Stillwater 44 (Adrianna Lambert 14). Aces—Bigfork 9 (Wicklund 4), Stillwater 14 (Lambert 4, Metzger 4).
Stevensville 3, Polson 2
POLSON — Stevi edged Polson in a tightly-played five-set nonconference match, 25-12, 24-26, 25-20, 23-25, 15-12.
Lauren Lefthand led Polson with 10 kills in the match and Kyler Lundeen had 10 digs and a match-high five aces. Kaelyn Smith had four blocks and 11 assists for the Pirates.
Mariah Hinson led Stevi with 25 kills and Tilly Grooms had two blocks and three aces for the Yellowjackets. Cassi Kopsa had a match-high 25 digs.
Polson will host Missoula Loyola next Tuesday before a trip to the Missoula Invitational.
Stevensville def. Polson 25-12, 24-26, 25-20, 23-25, 15-12
Kills – Stevi 60 (Mariah Hinson 25), Polson 34 (Lauren Lefthand 10). Blocks – Stevi 6 (Tilly Grooms 2, Prestley Robinson 2), Polson 9 (Kaelyn Smith 4). Digs – Stevi 76 (Cassi Kopsa 25), Polson 33 (Kyler Lundeen 10). Assists – Stevi 48 (Quinn Larson 45), Polson 26 (Smith 11). Aces – Stevi 5 (Grooms 3), Polson 9 (Lundeen 5).