Valkyries fend off Trojans

BIGFORK — Bigfork won huge in game one, then recovered after dropping the second game to finish off Troy 25-8, 23-25, 25-18, 25-13 and pick up a District 7B volleyball win on Saturday.

The Valkyries (8-3 overall, 2-2 league) were dominant on the attack, piling up 40 kills compared to only 10 for the Trojans. Abbie Fraley had 18 for the Vals, while Kalie Wicklund added 36 assists and five aces.

The Trojans (5-6, 0-3) were led by Alyssa Lewis’ five kills and five blocks.

Bigfork def. Troy, 25-8, 23-25, 25-18, 25-13

Kills — Troy 10 (Alyssa Lewis 5), Bigfork 40 (Abbie Fraley 18). Blocks — Troy 7 (Lewis 5), Bigfork 2 (Jamie Berg 2). Assists — Troy 7 (Allie Brown 7), Bigfork 37 (Kalia Wicklund 36). Digs — Troy 28 (Kaitlyn Downey 20), Bigfork 33 (Julia Saunders 9). Aces — Troy 5 (Downey 3), Bigfork 14 (Wicklund 5).

Thompson Falls 3, Eureka 0

EUREKA — Kaylee Kronsperger notched 11 kills but league-leading Thompson Falls was too much for Eureka, rolling to a 25-18, 25-16, 25-21 sweep in District 7B action.

The Lions (6-5, 1-3) had 24 kills in the match but Thompson Falls’ front line answered with 17 blocks, including eight from Ember Schwindt, who also had a match-high 12 kills.

Liz Pacella had all 24 Eureka assists and Rylee Morgan added seven digs in a losing effort.

Thompson Falls def. Eureka 25-18, 25-16, 25-21

Kills — Thompson Falls 30 (Ember Schwindt 12), Eureka 24 (Kaylee Kronsperger 11). Blocks — Thompson Falls 17 (Schwindt 8), Eureka 3 (Kronsperger 3). Assists — Thompson Falls 27 (Haley Wilson 27), Eureka 24 (Liz Pacella 24). Digs — Thompson Falls 42 (Madi Wheeler 9), Eureka 27 (Rylee Morgan 7). Aces — Thompson Falls 6 (no leader), Eureka 3 (no leader).

Class AA

Sentinel 3, Flathead 0

MISSOULA — Kylie Frohlich had 14 kills and undefeated Missoula Sentinel rolled to a 25-13, 25-20, 25-13 win over Flathead in a Western AA conference match.

The contest was the final one of the first half of the season for both teams, and the Spartans enter the second half of the season as the clear team to beat in Class AA. Sentinel (13-0, 6-0) has been ranked number one all year in the coaches poll.

Tiana Johnson led the Bravettes (2-11, 1-5) on defense with seven blocks, but Flathead struggled offensively, mustering just 14 total kills. Allie Gagnon had five to lead the way.

Sentinel put down 49 kills in the match and Chelsea Bone dished out 38 assists.

Flathead returns home to take on Missoula Big Sky on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

Sentinel def. Flathead, 25-13, 25-20, 25-13

Kills — Flathead 14 (Allie Gagnon 5), Sentinel 49 (Kylie Frohlich 14). Blocks — Flathead 8 (Tiana Johnson 7), Sentinel 0. Digs — Flathead 24 (Abbi Chavez 8), Sentinel 27 (Sarina Moreno 9). Assists — Flathead 11 (Sierra Wilhelm 10), Sentinel 48 (Chelsea Bone 38). Aces — Flathead 3, Sentinel 8 (Elsa Godwin 5).

Class A

Columbia Falls 3, Hamilton 1

Columbia Falls 3, Corvallis 0

COLUMBIA FALLS — Defending Class A state champion Columbia Falls throttled Corvallis in a rematch of last year’s state final to claim its ninth consecutive victory to start the season.

The Wildkats (9-0) won a pair of nonconference matches, routing the Blue Devils 25-10, 25-21, 25-12, hours after beating Hamilton 25-22, 25-14, 20-25, 25-20.

Columbia Falls was without three starters in the Hamilton match, with all three missing in order to take the SAT exam.

“They played phenomenally in the Corvallis match,” Wildkats coach Jessy Matthews said of her team. “They came out strong and did not let up.”

Columbia Falls allowed only 15 Blue Devils kills in the win while putting down 44, led by 13 from Morgan Stenger. Cydney Finberg chipped in 35 assists and three aces in the victory.

Stenger also paced the Wildkats against Hamilton, smacking nine kills and adding five blocks.

Columbia Falls def. Hamilton 25-22, 25-14, 20-25, 25-20

Kills — Hamilton 40 (Tristy Searle 13), Columbia Falls 36 (Morgan Stenger 9). Blocks — Hamilton 4 (Kacia Guisinger 2), Columbia Falls 8 (Stenger 5). Assists — Hamilton 34 (Caitlin Dillon 31), Columbia Falls 27 (Cydney Finberg 25). Digs — Hamilton 79 (Brooke Huxtable 22), Columbia Falls 61 (Finberg 16). Aces — Hamilton 5 (no leader), Columbia Falls 14 (Anna Nicosia 4).

Columbia Falls def. Corvallis 25-10, 25-21, 25-12

Kills — Corvallis 15 (Maureen Jessop 5), Columbia Falls 44 (Morgan Stenger 13). Blocks — Corvallis 7 (Genesis Keith 2.5), Columbia Falls 6 (Stenger 3). Assists — Corvallis 15 (Kate Hurlbert 15), Columbia Falls 37 (Cydney Finberg 35). Digs — Corvallis 62 (Hurlbert 14), Columbia Falls 66 (Kaitlyn Casazza 21). Aces — Corvallis 2 (no leader), Columbia Falls 7 (Finberg 3).

Corvallis 3, Whitefish 1

Whitefish 3, Hamilton 0

WHITEFISH — A banged up Bulldogs squad nearly dug out of an early deficit against defending state runner-up Corvallis before finishing the day with a 25-22, 25-21, 25-15 sweep of Hamilton.

Whitefish (4-3) lost 25-8, 25-20, 21-25, 26-24 to the Blue Devils.

“We were missing some players due to injury today but we had young girls step in and really play hard and play together as a unit, which was great to see,” Whitefish coach Jackie Fuller said. “Corvallis is a great team and we were able to stick with them.”

Katie Doorn had 15 kills in the Corvallis match, in which the Bulldogs out-killed the Blue Devils 41-40. Corvallis made up the difference partly thanks to 11 blocks.

In the Hamilton match, Mirielle Kruger led the way offensively with 10 kills.

Serena Hemmingson totaled 50 digs in the two matches and Libby Nagler added a combined 49 assists.

Corvallis def. Whitefish

25-8, 25-20, 21-25, 26-24

Kills — Corvallis 40 (Maureen Jessop 12), Whitefish 41 (Kate Doorn 15). Blocks — Corvallis 11 (M. Jessop 4), Whitefish 4 (Mirielle Kruger 3). Assists — Corvallis 31 (Kate Hurlbert 29), Whitefish 38 (Libby Nagler 24). Digs — Corvallis 85 (Kenzie Jessop 26), Whitefish 101 (Serena Hemmingson 27). Aces — Corvallis 4 (M. Jessop 3), Whitefish 4 (Nagler 2).

Whitefish def. Hamilton 25-22, 25-21, 25-15

Kills — Hamilton 26 (Tristy Searle 10), Whitefish 35 (Mirielle Kruger 10). Blocks — Hamilton 3 (Kacia Guisinger 2), Whitefish 4 (Autumn Roalson 2). Assists — Hamilton 21 (Caitlin Dillon 20), Whitefish 32 (Libby Nagler 25). Digs — Hamilton 77 (Brooke Huxtable 15), Whitefish 64 (Serena Hemmingson 23). Aces — Hamilton 4 (Hennesy Meyer 2), Whitefish 10 (Becca Catina 3).

Butte Central 3, Polson 1

POLSON — Haley Fyant had 16 kills but Butte Central was too much for the Pirates in a nonconference match, winning 25-11, 25-19, 19-25, 25-13.

Kaelyn Smith assisted on 20 of Polson’s 39 kills and added two blocks in a losing effort. Kyler Lundeen picked up 20 digs for the Pirates (2-5).

Butte Central def. Polson

25-11, 25-19, 19-25, 25-13

Kills — Polson 39 (Haley Fyant 16). Blocks — Polson 3 (Kaelyn Smith 2). Assists — Polson 39 (Smith 20). Digs — Polson 26 (Kyler Lundeen 16). Aces — Polson 1 (Lauren Lefthand).

Butte Central stats not available.