The Stevensville Yellowjackets had a new look at their first game of the Western A Divisional. Julie Hinson, the assistant coach for the regular season, had the role of head coach. Apparently head coach Erin O’Reilly had been asked to step down last week due to unnamed reasons, and Hinson was named to replace her.
The team came out and played very confidently in the early rallies and built up a lead in a couple of the games in their match against Frenchtown. The Lady ‘Jackets couldn’t hold on to the lead in the first game and lost, 26-24. But Stevensville did not give up. They rallied back and won game two. They led the entire time but Frenchtown closed the gap behind the serving of Laci Willett. Frenchtown pulled within one point before the Stevi defense stopped the run. An out of bounds serve by each team added one point each to the score but an ace by Rylee McCoy proved to be the difference and Stevensville won, 23-25.
Service errors from both sides kept both Frenchtown and Stevensville from gaining any momentum and they played neck and neck throughout the game. Stevensville took the lead with the score at 23-24 when McCoy tipped the ball past the Broncs’ front row defenders. Then, Mariah Hinson put the game away with a kill and the Lady Yellowjackets were up a game.
But Frenchtown rallied and came back strongly in Game 4. They went on to win, 25-19. The fifth game always goes quickly and momentum is very important. Although Frenchtown took an early lead, Stevensville came back to tie it at 10-10 on a Hinson kill. She kept the pressure on and notched two more points before two aces by Cora Jo Boultinghouse tied the game and then took the lead. Frenchtown won, 15-13.
Frenchtown def. Stevensville, 26-24, 23-25, 23-25, 25-19, 15-13.
Kills – Frenchtown 49, Stevensville 47 (Mariah Hinson 21). Blocks – Frenchtown 5, Stevensville 3 (Victoria Scothorn 3). Digs – Frenchtown 45, Stevensville 101 (Hinson 21). Assists – Frenchtown 103, Stevensville 38 (Rylee McCoy 38). Aces – Frenchtown 17, Stevensville 7(McCoy 3).
Stevensville had to play Polson in loser out action at 8 pm on Thursday night. It was their second match of the day. The Lady ‘Jackets came out strongly and won the first game, 23-25. They dropped the next but then won the third game. But the Lady Pirates proved to be too strong and took the last two games and the match. Hinson had 16 kills
Polson def. Stevensville, 23-25, 26-24, 24-26, 25-13, 15-12.
Kills – Stevensville 53 (Hinson 16), Polson 43. Blocks – Stevensville 9 (Scothorn 4), Polson 7, Digs – Stevensville 95 (Abigail Austin 26), Polson. Assists – Stevensville 46 (McCoy 45), Polson 43. Aces – Stevensville 12 (McCoy 4), Polson.
Like Stevensville, Hamilton had to make a major adjustment in the week prior to the Western A Divisional. Shannon Casale, the team leader and motivator, went down with a knee injury in the last week of regular season play. She wasn’t able to suit up and had to watch as her team played. But coach D’Ette Monson was very pleased with how her team rallied.
“Jordan Bauder and Kloie (Nye) and the seniors really tried to take on that leadership role,” she said. “But I have a lot of sophomores who stepped up. Tristy Searle and Brooke Huxtable, both really stepped up and filled those outside roles.”
Hamilton’s first match was against Whitefish, the No. 2 seed from the Northwest. Hamilton came into the tournament with a record of 5-11 while Whitefish had a record of 10-4. The Bulldogs won the first game, 25-19, but in the second game, Hamilton played very strongly and pushed the Bulldogs more. They lost, 25-22 and then lost the third game, 25-20.
Whitefish def Hamilton 25-19, 25-22, 25-20
Kills – Hamilton 30 (Jordan Bauder) Whitefish 48. Blocks – Hamilton 2 (Tristy Searle Caitlin Gillespie), Whitefish 4. Digs – Hamilton 52 (Kloie Nye 21), Whitefish 41. Assists – Hamilton 27 (Caitlin Dillon 25), Whitefish 48. Aces – Hamilton 3, Whitefish 5.
Friday morning, Hamilton played Frenchtown in loser out action. Although it took Hamilton’s Lady Broncs a game to get going, they came back and won the next three and took the match. In Game 2, Hamilton didn’t waste any time and took an early lead and went on to win, 25-15. They continued to dominate in the third game and won that game as well. Frenchtown kept close in the fourth game but couldn’t get past Hamilton’s defense. Searle had 14 kills for Hamilton and Nye had seven aces to pad the win.
Hamilton def. Frenchtown, 16-25, 25-15, 25-14, 25-21.
Kills – Hamilton 39 (Tristy Searle 14). Blocks –Hamilton 4 (Jordan Bauder 3). Digs – Hamilton 48 (Nye 19). Assists – Hamilton 34 (Dillon 34). Aces –Hamilton 18 (Nye 7).
Hamilton then had to take on Columbia Falls. Although the WildKats only have one senior on the team, they are a tall, athletic team who challenges every point. Hamilton had seven Kills from Huxtable but it was not enough. Hamilton lost in three games.
Hamilton-Columbia Falls
Columbia Falls def. Hamilton, 25-13, 25-15, 25-21.
Kills – Hamilton 18 (Brooke Huxtable 7), Columbia Falls 38. Blocks – Hamilton 2 (Gillespie 2), Columbia Falls 4. Digs – Hamilton 26 (Nye 10), Columbia Falls 37. Assists – Hamilton 16 (Dillon 16), Columbia Falls 33. Aces – Hamilton 4 (four with one), Columbia Falls 7.