Granite battles Superior in tune-up for district tourney

PHILIPSBURG – It wasn’t the way they had hoped the regular season would end. Nonetheless, the Granite Lady Prospectors identified some areas to work on before the District 13C Volleyball Tournament begins next week.

Superior swept Granite 3-0 Thursday night, 25-20, 25-23, 25-20.

“We had the same consistent hole that we don’t cover well,” said GHS Assistant Coach Margie Lee. “We need to either plug the hole or not. They know they need to crunch in more and cover it, but sometimes they just come in and …” motioning to a ready position with no action.

Lee stood in for Head Coach Kaley Hansen who was out ill. Hansen hopes to be back to health when tournament starts Thursday at 11:45 a.m. in Missoula at Valley Christian.

The two squads were tied 20-20 in the opening set when Superior pulled away to a 22-20 advantage. It was then that three apparent points for Granite were nullified by ‘Over the Net’ violations by Ella Tallon and Montannah Piar. Neither girl thought they had committed the infraction, but the up official disagreed and the set-clinching points went to Superior instead.

The Lady Prospectors were even closer in set two, falling by just a pair of points. The third set played out much like the first, with Granite close the entire way until the Lady Bobcats pulled away.

Lucia Lee and Piar led the locals in kills with six each with the latter adding seven blocks. Tallon led in assists with 12 and tied Piar and Addi Lilyquist with one service ace apiece. Maya Flores was tops on defense with 12 digs.

For her efforts Flores was named the Kiko’s Mexican Restaurant Player of the Game.

Granite will open the District 13C Tournament again host Valley Christian at 11:45 a.m. Thursday. The winner will advance to take on the winner of the Seeley-Lincoln match up while the losers will clash in an elimination game in the consolation bracket.

SCORING

Superior – 25/25/25 – 3

Granite – 20/23/20 – 0

GRANITE STATISTICS

Kills – Lee 6, Hill 3, MarFlores 2, Tallon 2, MayFlores 3, Piar 6, McDonald 1, Reisenauer 1, Lilyquist 1

Blocks – Lee 3, Hill 1, Tallon 1, Piar 7

Assists – Lee 6, Hill 1, MarFlores 2, Tallon 12, MayFlores 4, Piar 2, Parret 3

Digs – Lee 1, Hill 4, MarFlores 3, Tallon 6, MayFlores 12, Piar 8, McDonald 1, Parret 4, Reisenauer 1, Lilyquist 4