D13C RDP: Drummond bests Granite to advance in bracket
MISSOULA – Yogi Berra once mused that, “It was like déjà vu all over again.” And to everyone in attendance, it looked a lot like the first time Granite and Drummond met earlier in the season.
But as the match wore on it was clear that the Lady Trojans had learned from their previous mistakes and captured a 3-0 win from their county rivals to advance to the Winner’s Bracket Finals Friday against Valley Christian in the District 13C Volleyball Tournament.
When the Lady Prospectors took to the floor, they had that same crazy look in their eyes as they had when they took Drummond to a five-set match on September 8th. That night they managed to grab the first two sets before the Lady Trojans could right their ship and win the final three to escape with the victory.
Thursday night Granite jumped to an early lead 16-8 midway through the set, with every point looking like the Lady Prospectors had just won the lottery.
But Drummond started slowly chipping away, getting two or three points on each service rotation while Granite got just one. Before you knew it a pair of Jesse Struna service aces knotted the game at 24-24, pushing the game into extended play. It finally reached 27-27 before the Lady Trojans put together back-to-back points to claim the opener, 29-27.
“I think when they caught us it just took the air out of us,” said GHS Head Coach Kaley Hansen.
And it was at that point that Drummond went on a full blown roll, taking sets two and three by large margins to advance to the next round one step closer to repeating as District 13C champions.
“I wanted to play in the gym first and I wanted a little bit of a warm up,” expressed DHS Head Coach Paige Fickler of having to take an unwanted bye in the tournament. “And I knew that being a player of the game that won a district championship that when you’re on top everyone wants to take you down. So I knew this gym was going to be loud and not for us.
“I don’t think the kids realized the impact it was going to be and how aggressive Granite was going to come out on their side, and with a game under their belt, but they came through. They came out and did what they needed to do.”
Drummond senior Holly Hauptman checked in with a game-high eight kills with Delaney Wagner close behind at six. Liz Perry chipped in five had a pair of blocks and four service aces. Jesse Struna led in assists with 18 and tried Lexi Nelson with five service aces.
Montannah Piar led the Lady Prospectors with five kills and four blocks, with seniors Lucia Lee and Gretchen Hill each adding two kills each. Lee had a game-high 11 blocks at the net. Ella Tallon had six assists and four digs with Addi Lilyquist adding a pair of aces.
In other play at the District 13C Tournament Thursday, Seeley swept Lincoln and Valley Christian swept Darby, setting up a Winner’s Bracket semifinal that saw the Lady Eagles beat the Lady Blackhawks in five sets. In the Consolation Bracket Darby eliminated Lincoln in straight sets to advance.
Friday’s play will begin with Seeley taking on Victor at 10 a.m. followed by Granite and Darby at 11:45. The winners of those two matches will play at 2:45 p.m., with the Winner’s Bracket finale just before at 1:15 between Drummond and tournament host Valley Christian.
SCORING
Drummond – 29/25/25 – 3
Granite – 27/15/8 – 0
STATISTICS
Kills – (D) Nelson 1, Hauptman 8, Wagner 6, Struna 2, Perry 5, Parsons 1; (G) Lee 2, Hill 2, MarFlores 1, Tallon 1, Piar 5, McDonald 1
Blocks – (D) Struna 1, Perry 2; (G) Lee 11, Piar 4
Assists – (D) Struna 18, Perry 1; (G) Lee 1, Tallon 6
Digs – (D) Rasor 6, Nelson 4, Hauptman 6, Wagner 6, Struna 2, Perry 2, Parke 4, Hicks 3; (G) Hill 1, MarFlores 1, Tallon 4, Smith 2, Piar 7, McDonald 1, Lilyquist 1
Aces – (D) Nelson 5m Hauptman 2, Wagner 2, Struna 5, Perry 4; (G) Piar 1, McDonald 1, Lilyquist 2
Granite def. Victor
25-12, 25-10, 25-22
The Lady Prospectors opened the District 13C Volleyball Tournament with all guns blazing as they opened fast against Victor to easily claim the first two sets. But when the Lady Pirates finally woke up in the third, Granite found itself in a battle that it managed to pull out and advance to Winner’s Bracket against rival Drummond.
Ella Tallon had team highs in assists (10) and service aces (6). Lucia Lee was tops in kills with six with Montannah Piar close behind with five. Piar also had a team best three blocks. Maya Flores led the defense with nine digs.
SCORING
Victor – 12/10/22 – 0
Granite – 25/25/25 – 3
GRANITE STATISTICS
Kills – Lee 6, Hill 3, MarFlores 3, MayFlores 1, Spehar 2, Tallon 3, Piar 5, Reisenauer 1
Blocks – Lee 1, Hill 2, Piar 3
Assists – Lee 2, Tallon 10
Digs – Lee 1, Hill 1, MarFlores 1, MayFlores 9, Tallon 3, Smith 1, Piar 4, McDonald 2, Benson 3, Lilyquist 2
Aces – Tallon 6, Piar 1, Lilyquist 3
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