Spikers place fourth in divisionals, ending season
Hope Burlage, left, and Gabrielle Stenger go up for a block against Libby last Friday.
The Wildkats placed fourth at the Northwest Montana Conference A divisional tournament in Columbia Falls this past weekend, ending their season.
Friday, Nov. 5 the Kats played Libby in the first match of the tournament. The Kats defeated Libby 3-2, in the team’s first win of the season. The Kats did split a game with the Loggers earlier this year.
Danielle Gilley had nine kills and Gabrielle Stenger gave Columbia Falls five aces and two blocks. The Wildkats also received 15 assists from Alli Dierenfield and 34 digs from Shaun Rowe.
Dierenfield was pulled up from junior varsity during practice last week to help replace setter Erika Nelson, who was out sick.
Later in the day Friday, the Kats met Polson, the No. 1 conference seed. Jesse Gist paced the Wildkats with three kills and two blocks. The Pirates roundly defeated the Kats, 3-0. Polson went on to win divisionals and plays Laurel at the state tournament Thursday, Nov. 11.
Saturday, Nov. 6 Columbia Falls played Whitefish in a consolation round and lost to the Bulldogs 3-1. Niki Birky had nine kills and Shaun Rowe racked up 24 digs to lead Columbia Falls. Whitefish plays Billings Central at state Thursday.
Friday — round one
Columbia Falls def. Libby, 25-23, 18-25, 21-25, 25-23, 15-11.
Kills - Libby 40 (Becky Boulware 11), Columbia Falls 31 (Danielle Gilley 9). Blocks - Libby 2 (Alex Kulbeck, Lauren Wepprecht), Columbia Falls 8 (Gabrielle Stenger 2, Hope Burlage 2). Digs - Libby 50 (Alyssa Walker 15), Columbia Falls 87 (Shaun Rowe 34). Assists - Libby 34 (Lexi Hageness 30), Columbia Falls 28 (Alli Dierenfield 15). Aces - Libby 17 (Wepprecht 6), Columbia Falls 15 (Stenger 5).
Friday — round two
Polson def. Columbia Falls, 25-10, 25-12, 25-9.
Kills - Columbia Falls 9 (Jessie Gist 3), Polson 36 (Breanne Kelley 18). Blocks - Columbia Falls 4 (Gist 2), Polson 9 (Sallie Sams 3, Riley Kenney 2). Digs - Columbia Falls 24 (Danielle Gilley 10), Polson 25 (Kendyall Rochin 9). Assists - Columbia Falls 8 (Alli Dierefield 5), Polson 31 (Kayla Duford 30). Aces - Columbia Falls 3 (three with one each), Polson 15 (Shay Duford 4, K. Duford 4).
Saturday — round one
Whitefish def. Columbia Falls, 25-20, 25-11, 23-25, 25-22.
Kills - Columbia Falls 26 (Niki Birky 9, Gabrielle Stenger 5), Whitefish 44 (Heather Bailey, Madisen Tveidt). Blocks - Columbia Falls 12 (Jessie Gist 4, Hope Burlage 4), Whitefish 11 (Brooke Silliker, Abby Strellnauer). Digs - Columbia Falls 76 (Shaun Rowe 24, Alli Dierenfield 21), Whitefish 69 (Bailey, Kelsey McFadden). Assists - Columbia Falls 27 (Hope Burlage 25), Whitefish 43 (Taylor Havens, Olivia Nagler). Aces - Columbia Falls 9 (Burlage 3, Dierenfield 3), Whitefish 10 (McFadden, Bailey).