Bulldogs win five-game barn burner

Whitefish High School volleyball coach Jackie Fuller was correct when she predicted that the Bulldogs' match against the Eureka Lions wasn't going to be easy.

The last time the two teams met, the Bulldogs beat the Lions 25-14, 25-23 and 25-13 in a match that might have been closer than the score indicated.

During the Bulldogs' homecoming match against the Lions on Thursday night, the score was more representative of the back-and-forth fight between the two teams.

The Bulldogs dropped the first two games against the Lions before mounting a comeback in game three to win 14-25, 20-25, 25-10, 25-17, 15-12.

"I've always said from the very beginning what a great team they are," Fuller said of the Eureka Lions.

Eureka senior Amy Roberts, who is being scouted by the University of Montana, led the lions with 27 kills and helped her team control the momentum as it rushed out to a two-game lead.

As the Whitefish players moved off the court following game two, Fuller didn't have to say anything to get her players back in the game. That motivation came from the homecoming crowd, she said.

"If anyone said anything, it was our fans," she said. "They erupted once we changed benches and they got behind us."

The Bulldogs managed to regain the momentum and even the score by winning the next two games.

They held onto the victory with a 15-12 win in game five.

"That's volleyball," Fuller said. "It all depends on who gets the momentum and at what time."

Whitefish's Ashley Ferda had 15 kills, 12 blocks and 16 digs in the match, while Courtney Ferda finished with seven aces.

Fuller highlighted the play of Whitefish junior Hailey Farmin, who held the Bulldogs both on the service line and at the net.

"She's there ready on the bench ready to go," she said.

Fuller said the only way her team was able to win is to have depth on the bench.

"As a team, you have to give credit to everybody," Fuller said, noting her whole team never gave up and thus was able to overcome the deficit.

The Eureka game was the start of round number two of conference games this season.

The Bulldogs play the Polson Pirates on Thursday. When the Whitefish team took on Polson earlier this season, the Bulldogs beat the Pirates 25-10, 25-4, 25-9.

"We're right where we need to be," Fuller said. "We have a long way to go. We still need to improve both offensively and defensively."