Valkyries score fast wins in all three conference matches

The Bigfork High School volleyball team brought their conference record up to 5-2 last week with quick wins over Plains, Superior and St. Ignatius.

"We've had a lot of games with no practice in-between, which is always difficult," said Tammi McDaniel, BHS head volleyball coach. "You see things in one game that we want to change, but you don't have a chance to work on them for a few days, or you're trying to work on things during a game. That's a little scary."

The Valkyries traveled to Plains on Monday night where they beat the Trotters in three games, 26-24, 25-11 and 25-16.

"We came out slow and we weren't communicating, but once we settled in and got back into our game we did well," McDaniel said. "They worked through it and got it done in three, so that was good."

Senior Emily Hardman had 14 kills and 17 digs.

Claire Wilken, also a Bigfork senior, had 12 assists, six digs, five kills and five aces.

Junior Mallery Knoll had 12 digs and four kills. Sophomore Taylor Peck had 11 digs and six assists.

The Vals won Saturday's match in Superior in three games all with the final score of 25-16.

"This game was a pretty quick three and out," McDaniel said. "The girls got to try some things on offense that they tend not to in a tight match, so that was good."

Hardman had 10 kills and seven digs for the Vals. Wilken had 10 assists and eight kills. Knoll had 10 digs and eight kills. Peck had 11 assists and senior Kelly Deaton had eight digs.

The Vals won their Thursday night home match against St. Ignatius in three games as well, 25-13, 25-20 and 25-18.

"Even though the game was over in three sets, it was a hard fought battle for every point against a much taller team," McDaniel said. "Everybody played hard to pull out the win. We were down 8-17 at one point in the second set, but they never gave up on themselves. They kept fighting to go on a 12-point scoring run to Mission's two that brought the game back in contention at 20-19."

Hardman had 16 kills for the Vals, Wilken had 12 assists, Knoll had 10 digs, Peck had nine assists and Nikie Bilodeau had six blocks.

"All the girls had good solid play with only a few mental mistakes," McDaniel said. "Nikie Bilodeau keeps gaining more confidence as a middle blocker as she had the team high and her twin sister, Hillary, came off the bench to get a stat in four categories."

The Valkyries traveled to Mission on Tuesday night. Those results will be in next week's Eagle.

The team will then travel to Eureka Friday night, Oct. 2.