Spikers No. 1 seed at divisional tourney

Whitefish has been steady and consistent throughout this volleyball season. Veteran leadership at the top has kept the ship on course as the Lady Bulldogs cruised through their first seven conference matches.

So when the going got tough in Libby last week, the Dogs knew to stay cool.

“We have a lot of experience on our side,” Whitefish coach Sarah Scott said. “These girls stay calm in tough situations, and we saw that at Libby.”

Whitefish emerged from the Loggers home court with a hard-fought five-set win to cap their undefeated 8-0 season in Northwestern A play. They are 11-2 overall.

Emily Sullivan crushed 18 kills, found 11 digs and tallied three blocks to lead the Bulldogs. Bekah Weaver had 40 of Whitefish’s 41 assists.

Whitefish heads into the divisional tournament in Frenchtown this week as the No. 1 seed.

The Dogs had already earned the top spot going into the Libby match, but Scott said her girls wanted to prove they deserved the high seed.

“They gave us a tough match,” she said. “I think we made the right adjustments and started to click just in time.”

Having the No. 1 seed gives the Dogs a first-round bye. They play the winner of the Frenchtown / Columbia Falls match on Friday at 3 p.m.

“Having the top seed means it’s one less game we have to play,” Scott said. “It’s a mental thing, too.”

She said the gym at Frenchtown is nice, but big and open.

“It can be tricky with depth perception,” she said.

Which could be good preparation for the state tourney at the MSU Fieldhouse in Bozeman.

“That’s been the goal all season — a trip to state,” Scott said.

The team is still waiting for Baylee Tveidt to return from an injury. The hitter is making day-by-day progress and Scott hopes she’ll be in the lineup Friday.

“But I feel confident with the team we have right now,” Scott said. “They’ve proven they’ll fight to the end.”

Scott says one of the team’s best strengths is their diversity.

“We’re not leading any one category, but we’re a really good all-around team,” she said. “That’s where we’ll be strong. We are consistent, and don’t make unforced errors.”

She’ll be counting on the seniors to provide leadership at the divisional tourney.

“The seniors provide that base of confidence,” she said. “It’s hard to single one person out, they work so seamlessly. They’ve played together since third grade.”

Whitefish def. Libby, 25-23, 17-25, 27-25, 17-25, 15-8.

Kills – Whitefish 46 (Emily Sullivan 18), Libby 49 (Lauren Wepprecht 19). Blocks – Whitefish 3 (Sullivan 3), Libby 1 (Devon Gallagher). Digs – Whitefish 50 (Sullivan 11), Libby 62 (Mahalah Wedel 30). Assists – Whitefish 41 (Bekah Weaver 40), Libby 45 (Hannah England 43). Aces – Whitefish 6 (Kelsey McFadden 3), Libby 22 (Wepprecht 7).