It’s a familiar scene; it’s the middle of November and
the Florence and Corvallis volleyball teams are heading to Bozeman for the All Class Volleyball State Tournament. Both teams have dominated this season and both teams cruised through their respective divisional tournaments.
Corvallis has the No. 1 Seed going into the Class A State tournament. They opened against the Libby Loggers and quickly defeated them, 25-21, 25-15, 25-13. Later, on Thursday, Corvallis defeated Polson in three games, 25-12, 26-24,25-14.
First year coach Laurie Jones said her team started off a little slowly, “With not as much energy as we would have liked. I think we play better against faster paced teams.”
All season, Corvallis has worked on mental toughness and that was the case at Dillon at the divisional tournament. They regrouped and came into the second day more focused and ready to win. They were up against the tough Columbia Falls team in the undefeated game and had to win to advance. Behind the net play of Isabel Evans, Madeline Gilder and Kylie Pease, the team threw Columbia Falls off their stride. Another player that kind of slipped under the radar of other teams was Kylie Pease, a 5’8” senior middle blocker.
“She’s been working behind the scenes,” said Jones. “She’s hitting well and is a sneaky little player that will catch you off guard. I told Hannah (Martin, the setter) to get her the ball more, and she did.”
With another force to be reckoned with, Corvallis was able to add another dimension to their offense. Pease had two aces in their first game against Columbia Falls and a block.
Another Blue Devil who came into the limelight was Jenna Jordan. She had two blocks, two aces and nine digs in the championship game.
“Jordan had a couple of good swings,” said Jones. “Teams might not have noticed her as much but she is connecting and peaking at the right time of the year.”
After defeating Columbia Falls in the undefeated game, Corvallis advanced to the championship game while Columbia Falls had to come back through the loser’s bracket. The two teams met again Saturday afternoon in the championship game where Corvallis quickly one in three games.
Corvallis will play Havre at 4pm on Thursday at the Brick Breeden Field House in Bozeman. Other teams involved in the state tournament are Billings Central, Polson, Columbia Falls, Hardin, Dawson County (Glendive), and Butte Central. The championship game is scheduled for noon on Saturday.
Corvallis def. Libby 25-21, 25-15, 25-13
Libby: Kills:17 (Mackenzie Proffitt 6). Assists: 14 (Kylee Quinn 12). Aces: 6 (Proffitt 1, Quinn 1). Digs: 34 (Ashlyn Monigold 8, Julia Martineau 7). Blocks: 4 (Ember Rode 1, Proffitt 1)
Corvallis: Kills:(Hannah Hutchinson 11). Assists: (Hannah Martin 20). Aces: (Hutchinson 4). Digs: (Casey Fison 12). Blocks: (Isabel Evans 3)
Corvallis def. Polson 25-12, 26-24, 25-14
Polson: Kills:19 (Grace Quinones 6, Maggie Todd 6 ). Assists: 18 (Lena Paulowski 10). Aces: 6 (Paulowski 2, Kobbey Smith 2). Digs: 50 (Quinones 13, Berkley Ellis 13). Blocks: 5 (Todd 3)
Corvallis: Kills:22 (Madeline Gilder 12, Hannah Hutchinson 10). Assists: 27 (Hannah Martin 27). Aces: 5 (Gilder 3, Martin 2). Digs: 21 (Martin 11, Casey Fison 10). Blocks: 2 (Isabel Evans 2)
Undefeated game: Corvallis def Columbia Falls 25-19, 27-25, 25-15
Corvallis: Kills 43 (isabel Evans 12, Madeline Gilder 11, Hannah Hutchison 10), Assists 35 (Hannah Martin 34), Aces 6 (Hutchison 3, Pease 2), Digs 60 (Hannah Martin 15, Casey Fison 13, Gilder 12), Blocks 3 (Evans 2, Kylie Pease 1).
Championship
Corvallis def Columbia Falls 25-17, 25-20, 25-15
Columbia Falls: Kills 17 (Mady Hoerner 5, Dillen Hoerner 5), Assists 17 (Kamber Brown 16), Digs49 (Angelica Street 18, D. Hoerner 15), Blocks 6 (Kiera Brown 3, Lauren Falkner 2), Aces 2 (M. Hoerner 1, Lauren Falkner)
Corvallis: Kills 38 (Hannah Hutchison 12, Kylie Pease 9), Assists 28 (Hannah Martin 28), Digs 45 (Martin 11, Madeline Gilder 10, Jenna Jordan 9), Blocks 4 (Jordan 2), Aces 9 (Casey Fison 3, Jordan 2, Martin 2)
Florence also entered the Western B Divisional as the No. 1 Seed. Florence had only been pushed a few times throughout the season and in fact, had handed Corvallis one of their only losses this season. Florence maintained their dominant play in the first two games but then came up against Thompson Falls.
“We go in expecting that we’re going to play to the top level, sometimes you’re caught off guard,” said Florence coach Christy Duchein. “Thompson Falls took advantage of our mental lapse. These teams have definitely improved since we’ve seen them.”
Florence regrouped and then moved forward to play Anaconda for the championship. Duchein said that the matches were tough but she was also trying to move people around and give the offense a new look.
“I’ll be running a lot of new rotations this week,” she concluded.
Florence will play Shelby at noon on Thursday. Shelby is the No. 3 Seed from the North. Other teams playing in the tournament are Huntley Project, Glasgow, Choteau, Townsend, Joliet, and Anaconda.
Florence def. Bigfork 25-18, 25-14, 25-8
Florence: Kills:33 (Sarah Hopcroft 15). Assists: 26 (Halle Christopherson 19). Aces: 12 (Christopherson 3). Digs: 35 (Kolbi Wood 10). Blocks: 6 (Emma Stensrud 4)
Bigfork: Kills:12 (two with three). Assists: 8 (Aubrey Halverson 5). Aces: 3 (Halverson 2). Digs: 43 (Halverson 8). Blocks: 1 (Jessica Frey)Florence def. Eureka 25-12, 25-15, 25-15,
Florence: Kills: 33 (Sarah Hopcroft 12). Aces: 11 (Jacklyn Balfourd 4). Blocks: 6 (Emma Stensrud 4). Assists: 33 (Halle Christopherson 16). Digs: 59 (Kolbi Wood 11).
Eureka: Kills: 21 (Maggie Graves 8). Aces: 4 (Jadyn Pluid 2, Katie Schmidt 2). Blocks: 4 (Avery Escobar 3). Assists: 17 (Escobar 15). Digs: 55 (Schmidt 16).
Undefeated game: Florence def Thompson Falls 14-25, 25-13, 25-21, 25-10
Thompson Falls: Kills 37 (Scarlette Schwindt 123, Bell Cooper 11) Assists 36 (Riley Wilson 31) Aces 7 (Schwindt 5) Digs 30 (Schwindt 7, Wilson 7) Blocks 7 (Cooper 2, Jody Detlef 2).
Florence: Kills (Sarah Hopcroft 16) Assists 38 (Halle Christopherson 21), Aces 9 (Emma Stensrud 3, Christopherson 3), Digs 54 (Kilbi Wood 18) Blocks 6 (Stensrud 4).
Championship
Florence def Anaconda 25-20, 25-16, 25-16
Anaconda: Kills 25, Assists 22, Digs 54, Blocks 3, Aces 2.
Florence: Kills 39 (Sarah Hopcroft 17) Assists 32 (Halle Christopherson 17), Digs 50 (Hopcroft 12), Blocks 8.5 (Emma Stensrud 7Pm ), Aces 3 (Emily Kinnaman, Emma Stensrud, Jayden Hendrickson)
After defeating Hamilton in the play in game last Monday night, the Stevensville Yellowjackets advanced to the Western A Tournament where they met up with Columbia Falls. Although the Lady ‘Jackets pushed the WildKats in the third game before falling in the match. Stevensville then went up against Whitefish where they won in four games. Aliyah Anderson had a stellar game with six kills and two blocks.
Columbia Falls def. Stevensville 25-15, 25-14, 26-24
Columbia Falls: Kills:26 (Lauren Falkner 9, Dillen Hoerner 6). Assists: 25 (Kamber Brown 24). Aces: 8 (Hoerner 3, Street 2). Digs: 58 (Angellica Street 24, Hoerner 12). Blocks: 6 (Kiera Brown 5)
Stevensville: Kills:24 (Ailyah Anderson 6, Maddelena Margini 6, Ella Hendrickson 6). Assists: 23 (Maddie Weber 19). Aces: 6 (Kopsa 2, Weber 2). Digs: 59 (Cassi Kopsa 19, Weber 10). Blocks: 4 (Anderson 2)
Stevensville def Whitefish 26-24, 20-25, 25-23, 25-20
Whitefish: Kills 36 (kayah Moore 14), Assists 31, (Mikenna Ellis 23), Aces 5, Digs 94 (Luci Ridgeway 31), Blocks 3
Stevensville: Kills 43 (Maddalena Margina 16), Assists 33 (Maddie Weber 28), Aces 4 (Casi Kopsa 3), Digs; 77 (Cassi Kopsa 23), Blocks 8 (Aliyah Anderson 4).
Polson def. Stevensville 25-15, 16-25, 25-17, 25-16
Stevensville: Kills 39 (Maddalena Margini 12, Ella Hendrickson 11), Assists 35 (Maddie Weber 30), Digs 66 (Weber 19, Cassi Kopsa 13), Blocks 6 (Margini 3, Kennedy Praast 2), Aces 4 (Anderson 4).