No. 3 Helena High spikers stop No. 4 Bravettes in 5
In a matchup of highly-ranked Class AA volleyball teams Friday night, No. 3 Helena High rallied past No. 4 Flathead 20-25, 20-25, 25-17, 25-19, 15-9 at Flathead High School.
Helena (12-2 overall, 3-0 Western AA) led in kills, 63-37, assists, 52-32, and digs, 65-48.
Flathead (9-7, 2-1) shined in blocks, 12-7, and aces, 10-6.
“They started fighting back,” Flathead coach Nicole Fairclough said of Helena, which started down 2-0.
“We weren’t able to answer as well (after that) like we did in the first two games.”
Julia Burden led Flathead in kills (15), digs (14), aces (three) and added four blocks.
Taylor Henley had 10 kills and a team-high 10 blocks for the Bravettes.
“They also started serving a lot tougher,” Fairclough said of Helena in games 3-4-5.
“And it was not as easy to run our offense (because of that).”
Flathead hosts No. 1 Helena Capital today at 1 p.m.
Kills — Helena 63 (Taylor Huot NA), Flathead 37 (Julia Burden 15, Taylor Henley 10); Blocks — Helena 7 (Jamie Pickens 4), Flathead 12 (Henley 10, Burden 4); Assists — Helena 52 (Emily Feller 49), Flathead 32 (Sierra Wilhelm 30); Digs — Helena 65 (Vanessa Walsh 23), Flathead 48 (Burden 14, Maddie Lindbom 13); Aces — Helena 6 (Pickens 2, Katie Jenneskens 2), Flathead 10 (Burden 3, Lindbom 2, Jenna Johnson 2, Madde Boles 2).
Class AA Volleyball Coaches Poll
As of Sept. 17
First places votes in parentheses
Pts
1. Billings Senior (6) 48
1. Helena Capital (5) 48
3. Helena High 34
4. Flathead 14
5. Billings West 9
Also receiving votes, in order: Missoula Sentinel, Glacier.
No. Helena Capital 3, Glacier 0
Helena Capital rolled by Glacier 25-16, 25-12, 25-16 in a Western AA match.
Capital dominated net play, leading kills 33-20.
“Capital is very aggressive,” Glacier coach Christy Harkins said.
“They are a great ball team.”
Glacier (1-2 league) hosts No. 3 Helena High today at 1 p.m.
Kills — Capital 33 (Sarah Ashley 10), Glacier 20 (Aubrie Rademacher 6); Blocks — Capital 5 (Paige Bartsch 4), Glacier 3 (Kali Gulick 2); Assists — Capital 27 (Aubrey Hofer 22), Glacier 18 (Kaylee Fritz 18); Digs — Capital 21 (Dani Bartsch 6), Glacier 30 (Kacey Hill 12); Aces — Capital 9 (D. Bartsch 3), Glacier 3 (three with 1).