Eureka falls to Florence in Western B final

The Daily Inter Lake

EUREKA — Florence swept Eureka in the Western B Divisional volleyball championship match on Saturday afternoon, 3-0.

Eureka could not handle the one-two punch of Florence’s Shannon Byrne and Sarah Hopcroft, who finished with 11 and 10 kills, respectively. The Falcons had 38 as a team.

Kassi Peterson had nine kills and Sienna Utter eight for Eureka, which totaled 25.

Eureka advanced to final by defeating Deer Lodge earlier in the day, 3-0.

Florence was 4-0 in divisional action. Eureka went 3-2 in the double-elimination event.

Florence also defeated Eureka in the semifinals on Friday, 3-0.

Florence advances to the Class B state tournament, which begins Thursday in Bozeman, as the division’s No. 1 seed. Eureka takes the No. 2 seed to Bozeman.

Bigfork finished fourth. The Valkyries were 2-2.

Western B Divisional

At Eureka

Saturday

Eureka def. Deer Lodge, loser takes third match, 25-18, 25-21, 25-16

Florence def. Eureka, championship, 25-16, 25-19, 25-22

Match Stats

Eureka def. Deer Lodge, 25-18, 25-21, 25-16

Deer Lodge: Kills 22 (Alyssa Lamb 7, Kerstin Cooper 6). Blocks 6 (Ariel Clark 2). Digs N/A. Assists 22 (Kamryn Scully 22). Aces 1 (Darcy Walker 1).

Eureka: Kills 41 (Kassi Peterson 13). Blocks 4 (Bailey Bishop 2). Digs 23 (Peterson 8). Assists 41 (Liz Pacella 41). Aces 8 (Sienna Utter 2).

Florence def. Eureka, 25-16, 25-19, 25-22

Eureka: Kills 25 (Kassi Peterson 9, Sienna Utter 8). Blocks 3 (Three with 1). Digs 20 (Rylee Morgan 10). Assists 24 (Liz Pacella 23). Aces 4 (Four with 1).

Florence: Kills 38 (Shannon Byrne 11, Sarah Hopcroft 10). Blocks 4 (Byrne 2). Digs 39 (Hudsyn DiBrito 10, Hopcroft 9, Byrne). Assists 36 (Shay Waldbillig 35). Aces 2 (Waldbillig 1, Rilee Mangun 1).

Friday

Loyola Sacred Heart def. Troy, loser out, 19-25, 25-22, 17-25, 25-15, 15-13

Anaconda def. Thompson Falls, loser out, 25-20, 25-21, 25-19

Bigfork def. Loyola, loser out, 25-23, 25-19, 25-21

Deer Lodge def. Anaconda, loser out, 25-12, 25-21, 25-11

Florence def. Eureka, semifinal, 25-12, 25-21, 25-17

Deer Lodge def. Bigfork, loser takes fourth match, 25-8, 18-25, 25-20, 16-25, 15-12

Thursday

Eureka def. Loyola 25-15, 25-20, 25-22

Deer Lodge def. Troy 15-25, 26-24, 25-22, 16-25, 15-9

Florence def. Thompson Falls 25-14, 25-10, 25-9

Bigfork def. Anaconda 25-19, 25-16, 25-21

Eureka def. Deer Lodge, 25-27, 25-9, 25-16, 26-24

Florence def. Bigfork, 25-20, 25-22, 25-10