Drummond captures third straight D13C title; Granite heads to divisional as #2

NOTE - Updated with official team statistics.

Darah Nelson/Photo

MISSOULA – Friday started the way it ended at the MHSA Class C Girls Volleyball Tournament at Valley Christian High School in Missoula.

That was just fine with the Drummond Lady Trojans.

For the Granite Lady Prospectors, not so much.

Drummond defeated Granite 3-2 to open the day, sending their county rivals into the consolation bracket while claiming the Winner’s Bracket final. The Lady Trojans then waited as the Lady Prospectors waded through a four-set victory over the host Lady Eagles. That set the stage for the two Granite County teams to meet for the fourth time this year.

The Lady Trojans took the first two sets and had their eyes on the prize when the Lady Prospectors got back in sync. They got to a 14-7 lead when Drummond came storming back to tie the third set. Granite responded with a pair of points and held that margin to 20-17 when Drummond called a timeout.

Undaunted, the Lady Prospectors kept pacing their foes to pull out a 25-22 victory and cut Drummond’s match lead to 2-1.

Granite got out to big lead in the fourth set before Drummond found its way back into the match. But when the Lady Prospectors’ Montannah Piar blocked a Lady Trojan spike attempt for the final point, the two teams were ready for a fifth a deciding set.

Granite started the match with a 2-0 lead and then Drummond took over and ran off seven straight points to hold a five-point lead. The Lady Prospectors would get a point here and there, but the damage had been done and the Lady Trojans claimed their third straight District 13C title.

Drummond will open the Western Division Tournament Thursday against White Sulphur Springs at 11 a.m. in the Manhattan Events Center at the high school. In the following match at 1:30 p.m. Granite will face off against Charlo.

Maggie Tallon/Photo

STATISTICS

Winner's Bracket Final

Granite - 25/16/22/25/7 - 2

Drummond - 19/25/25/21/15 - 3

Kills - (G) Smith 14, Benson 3, Spehar 9, Tallon 1, Piar 15, Lilyquist 6, (D) Parke 4, Wagner 17, Nelson 5, RCline 2, CCline 2, Parsons 8, HSawfer 1

Blocks - (G) Smith 6.5, Benson 5, Tallon 4.5, Piar 5, Lilyquist 4.5, (D) Wagner 1, Nelson 1, CCline 1, Parsons 1

Assists - (G) Smith 1, Tallon 33, Piar 2, Lilyquist 1, (D) Nelson 16, CCline 3, ASawfer 19

Digs - (G) Smith 18, Benson 8, Spehar 11, Tallon 10, Piar 10, Lilyquist 9, (D) Hicks 10, Parke 10, Wagner 21, Nelson 9, CCline 2, ASawfer 11, Parsons 7, HSawfer 5

Aces - (G) Smith 3, Benson 2, Spehar 3, Tallon 1, Piar 3, Lilyquist 2, (D) Hicks 6, Parke 3, Wagner 2, Nelson 2, ASawfer 3, Parsons 4

Consolation Bracket Finale

Valley Christian - 15/25/19/25 - 1

Granite - 25/18/25/27 - 3

Kills - Smith 4, Benson 3, Spehar 4, Tallon 2, Piar 14, Lilyquist 5

Blocks - Smith 6, Benson 1, Spehar 1, Tallon 1.5, Piar 3, Lilyquist 5.5

Assists - Benson 2, Tallon 20, Piar 1

Digs - Smith 18, Benson 12, Flores 8, Spehar 6, Tallon 14, Piar 10, Lilyquist 8

Aces - Smith 2, Benson 3, Spehar 1, Tallon 3, Piar 1

Championship Match

Granite - 17/22/25/25/8 - 2

Drummond - 25/25/22/17/15 - 3

Kills - (G) Smith 9, Spehar 5, Tallon 1, Piar 8, Lilyquist 11, (D) Parke 2, Wagner 18, Nelson 7, RCline 9, Parsons 13, HSawfer 1

Blocks - (G) Smith 3, Tallon 3, Piar 6, Lilyquist 4, (D) Parke 1, Nelson 2, RCline 4, Parsons 5

Assists - (G) Tallon 24, Piar 1, (D) Parke 1, Nelson 19, CCline 1, ASawfer 27

Digs - (G) Smith 21, Benson 7, Flores 14, Spehar 14, Tallon 17, Piar 12, Lilyquist 11, (D) Hicks 12, Parke 17, Wagner 19, Nelson 15, RCline 6, CCline 1, ASawfer 9, Parsons 9, HSawfer 5

Aces - (G) Smith 1, Tallon 3, Piar 2, (D) Hicks 4, Parke 2, Wagner 4, Nelson 3, ASawfer 1, Parsons 1