Flathead spikers sweep Wolfpack in crosstown
Flathead's Sienna Sterck (23) goes up for a kill against Glacier during crosstown volleyball at Flathead High School on Thursday, Sept. 29. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Glacier's Kaylei Fant (21) goes up for a kill against Flathead during crosstown volleyball at Flathead High School on Thursday, Sept. 29. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Flathead's Cyan Mooney (6) passes to a teammate as they play Glacier during crosstown volleyball at Flathead High School on Thursday, Sept. 29. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Glacier's Kaylie Field (2) sets for a teammate as they play Flathead during crosstown volleyball at Flathead High School on Thursday, Sept. 29. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Flathead's Georgia Wilson (11) passes to a teammate at the net in front of Glacier's Ella Farrell (15) and Haven Speer (3) during crosstown volleyball at Flathead High School on Thursday, Sept. 29. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
Glacier's Haven Speer (3) goes up for a kill against Flathead during crosstown volleyball at Flathead High School on Thursday, Sept. 29. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
The Flathead Bravettes were more than ready for Crosstown, Act 1.
With Sienna Sterck knocking down 10 kills and playing excellent all-around, the Bravettes swept the first intracity volleyball match of the year from Glacier Thursday at the Flathead gym.
Olive Lyngholm added nine kills for Flathead, which improved to 4-9 overall and 3-4 in Western AA matches. The Wolfpack, getting five kills from Haven Speer, fell to the exact same records: 4-9 and 3-4.
“I knew it’d be a battle, no matter how many sets we went to,” said Flathead coach Emily Russell, whose club won 25-20, 25-13, 25-19 in front of a loud, student section-bolstered crowd.
“But I’m very pleased to have swept Glacier. I just said we had to take care of business and they got it done.”
Especially Sterck, who had four aces and 13 digs to go with her kills. Her back row presence was felt after Glacier bolted to leads of 11-6 and, after an emphatic kill by Kaylei Fant, 13-8 in the third set.
Down 14-11 after a kill by Glacier’s Ella Farrell, Flathead scored the next seven points.
Twice, Sterck dug out a strong serve, leading to a kill and then a block by Lyngholm. Two kills from Libby Peltz followed, and Sterck hit an unreturnable serve of her own to make it 18-14.
Momentum appeared lost for Glacier. Flathead’s Amelia Mason touched the ball over for a kill, then had a block; eventually the final point came on a receiving error by the Pack.
“My girls, they tried hard,” first-year Glacier coach Courtney Baker said. “It’s a big week; it’s Homecoming. We served well. Maddie Frazier (eight digs) gave it her all. Haven Speer trying to get around their big blocks was a big challenge, but she was working hard at it.”
Speer, listed at 5-foot-7, also had five assists. Flathead had nearly twice as many digs as Glacier.
“We had a hard time finding the floor tonight,” Baker said.
“It makes a difference when we put our serves in,” Russell, now in her third season as head coach, said. “That sets us up for success. That’s what brought us back into the (third) game.”
Mason added eight assists and five kills for Flathead.
“I love my girls. We’re getting better every time we step on the court,” Russell said.
Both teams are in Great Falls Saturday for Crossover Tournament II.
Flathead def. Glacier 25-20, 25-13, 25-19.
Kills — Glacier 14 (Haven Speer 5), Flathead 30 (Sienna Sterck 10). Assists — Glacier 10 (Speer 5, Kaylie Field 5), Flathead 28 (Georgia Wilson 14). Digs — Glacier 19 (Maddie Frazier 8), Flathead 35 (Sterck 13). Blocks — Glacier 3 (Sarah Downs 2). Flathead 6 (Libby Peltz 2). Aces — Glacier 3 (Field, Julia Hagemier, Kenedee Moore), Flathead 11 (Sterck 4).