Spikers come back to down Frenchtown in five games

The Columbia Falls girls volleyball team got its second win on the season, downing Frenchtown in thrilling fashion, 13-25, 21-25, 25-19, 25-14, 15-6.

The Kats were led by Kayla DeWit, who had 14 kills and six blocks. Shay Grilley had 18 assists, Brooke Cady 15 digs, and Lexie Bartkoski had four aces.

Coach Addy Hines had a heart-to-heart talk with the team after the second game, telling the girls that they needed to start playing like they were capable of.

It worked.

"It was good to see their competitive spirit kick in," she said. DeWit really stepped up.

"She started putting the ball down for us," she said.

On Thursday, the Kats lost to Whitefish in straight sets, 25-16, 25-19, 25-10.

DeWit had nine kills in the loss.

Hines noted the team had too many mental errors.

"We've got to work on getting mentally tougher," Hines said.

The Kats took a 4-1 lead in the first game and an 8-4 lead in the second.

Stats:

C. Falls v. Whitefish: Kills - Columbia Falls 16 (Kayla DeWit 9), Whitefish 18 (Kaitlyn Wehrli 8, Olivia Nagler 4), Assists - Columbia Falls 12 (Shay Grilley 8), Whitefish 17 (Jessica Slaybaugh 11, Olivia Nagler 6), Blocks: Columbia Falls 1 (No leader); Whitefish 9 (Nagler 3, Heather Bailey 3), Digs - Columbia Falls 28 (Tianna Burns 5, Grilley 5, Brooke Cady 5), Whitefish 73 (Wehrli 21, Madison Tveidt 16), Aces - Columbia Falls 4 (Lexie Bartkoski 3, Cassidee Skiles 2). Whitefish - 15 (Bailey 4, Slaybaugh 3).

C. Falls v. Frenchtown - Kills - Columbia Falls 31 (Kayla DeWit 14), Frenchtown 35 (Jaylyn Garrison 10, Tasha Huset 10). Blocks - Columbia Falls 10 (DeWit 6), Frenchtown 7 (Emily Kreyenhagen 3). Digs - Columbia Falls 71 (Brooke Cady 15), Frenchtown 65 (Aimee Duncan 16). Assists - Columbia Falls 29 (Shay Grilley 18), Frenchtown 23 (Sakai Scheffer 13). Aces - Columbia Falls 13 (Lexie Bartoski 4), Frenchtown 17 (Scheffer 5).