Years ago, when Corvallis volleyball coach Laurie (Garber) Jones was playing softball for the Blue Devils, she would do a cartwheel every time she went to center field. After Saturday’s championship volleyball game in Bozeman, you can be sure she was at least cartwheeling across the floor in her mind. The first-year coach took her team to the State A volleyball tournament and came away with the championship, de-throning Billings Central for the crown.
Billings Central won the championship in 2018 and 2017. Corvallis finished fourth last year. The Blue Devils won the state championship in 2013.
“We were kind of the underdog,” said Jones. “It’s kind of nice to surprise some people. We knew they (Billings Central) were the favorite but we play better under pressure.”
Corvallis went into the tournament with a game plan, the same plan they have used all year. Win each point, don’t look ahead or behind, and play consistently. And they did.
Corvallis opened against Havre and did have some first round jitters said Jones. The Blue Devils had the match well in hand until the third game when the Blue Ponies rallied and took the win.
“It was first game jitters,” said Jones. “We had more errors and knew we couldn’t have them moving forward. In Game 4, we made the choice to come out and clean it up.”
The Blue Devils did just that and came away with the win. That set up the game against Dawson County. Corvallis made short work of Dawson County, winning in three games with strong play at the net and few errors.
The win against Glendive set up the undefeated match against Billings Central. Jones said her team continued to play tough and worked for each point. It was a battle at the net with both teams putting up blocks and making kills. Isabell Evans had 16 kills for Corvallis and two blocks. Corvallis put Billings Central away in the fifth game to take the match and move to the championship.
Billings Central had to work their way back through the losers’ bracket to meet up with Corvallis in the championship. The Blue Devils were focused and continued their point-by-point attack and came away with the win.
“To beat Billings Central in three in the championship, to beat a team of that caliber in three sets is just crazy,” said Jones.
She went on to say her team was outstanding throughout the tournament. “Evans, Hannah Hutchinson, and Madeline Gilder hit really well while Hannah Martin, our setter, was the glue for the team. Kylie Pease had a couple of blocks and crucial hits. And our libero, Casey Fison, found speed that surprised me even.”
Corvallis def. Havre 25-17, 25-20, 25-27, 25-21
Corvallis: Aces 9 (Briar Welling 2, Casey Fison 2, Madeline Gilder 3), Kills 54 (Gilder 15, Hannah Hutchison 12, Isabel Evans 12), Assists 44 (Hannah Martin 43, Jenna Jordan 1), Blocks 4 (Isabel Evans 2, Hannah Hutchison 1, Madeline Gilder 1), Digs 69 (Hannah Martin 18), Casey Fison 19, Jenna Jordan 11).
Havre: Aces 3 (Brown 2, Chvilicek 1) Kills 18 ( Chvilicek 10), Assists 18 (Brown 15), Blocks 5 (Chvilicek 2.5, Brown 2), Digs 80 (Oliver 24, Brown 22, Wilting 11)
Corvallis def. Glendive 25-20, 21-25, 25-18, 25-14
Corvallis: Aces 8 (Kylie Pease 3, Casey Fison 2, Hannah Martin 2), Kills 49 (Makeline Gilder 18, Hannah Hutchison 12, Kylie Pease 7), Assists 38 (Hannah Martin 33, Casey Fison 4, Jenna Jordan 10), Blocks 7 (Isabel Evans 5, Kylie Pease 2), Digs 61 (Hannah Martin 15, Casey Fison 14, Madeline Gilder 12).
Glendive: Aces 6 (Carney 2, Brown 2), Kills 37 (Torres 12, Murphy 12), Assists 37 (Brown 22, Murphy 15), Blocks 6 (Murphy 5, Wahl 1), Digs 91 (Torres 23, Clapp 18).
Corvallis def. Billings Central 25-20, 25-16, 14-25, 23-25, 15-9
Billings Central: Kills 46: (Olivia Moten-Schell 21). Assists 39 (Maria Stewart 35). Aces 11 (Moten-Schell 3, Kristina Schafer 3). Digs 82 (Stewart 22, Grace Zeier 18, Moten-Schell 16). Blocks 10 (Cindy Gray 4)
Corvallis: Kills 53 (Evans 16). Assists 41 (Martin 40). Aces 12 three with 3). Digs 63 (Fison 13, Hutchinson 13). Blocks 5 (Evans 2, Pease 2)
Championship
Corvallis def Billings Central 25-18, 25-21, 25-21
Corvallis: Aces 4 (Fison, Hutchison, Martin, Pease), Kills 31 (Gilder 10, Hutchison 7, Evans 7), Assists 25 ( Martin 20, Gilder 2, Fison 2), Blocks 9 (Evans 5, Hutchison 3, Jordan 1), Digs 44 (Fison 10, Hutchison 8, Martin 8, Gilder 8).
Billings Central: Aces 6 (Zier 3, Schafer, Moten-Schell), Kills 28 (Moten-Schell 10), Assists 21 (Stewart 20), Blocks 3 (Whitney 2), Digs 53 (Zeier 2)