Lady Bulldogs sink Pirates in home match

Call it a statement game — a warning shot to the rest of the conference that Whitefish volleyball is back.

The Lady Bulldogs started league play last week by posting a big win against a Polson team that perennially marks their spot at the top of the conference standings. Whitefish’s win Thursday was the first over the Pirates in a conference game in three years.

The Lady Bulldogs dropped the opening set, but then rattled off three consecutive wins to take the spirited Northwestern A match in front of a rowdy student section.

After rolling in the second set 25-14, Whitefish battled to win the final two.

Bekah Weaver sparked a run at the end of the third set when she made a monster stuff block to put the Dogs up 23-20. Baylee Tveidt followed with a kill and Sheila Murphy sealed the set with kill that set the crowd off.

Polson was rattled to start the fourth following Murphy’s set-winner. Whitefish jumped out to a 5-0 start, forcing Polson to call a time out.

The Pirates wouldn’t throw in the towel and scratched their way back into it, taking the lead 11-13.

Their lead didn’t last long.

Whitefish went on another run, led by a pair of aces from Tveidt, to take the lead back at 20-13.

Emily Sullivan put down a powerful kill to make it 23-16 and senior Kelsey McFadden scored a kill up the middle to put the Dogs in the driver’s seat for good.

Tveidt finished with 16 of Whitefish’s 45 kills, and with a team-best five aces. Emily Sullivan led with three stuff blocks, while McFadden and Sullivan each tallied 10 digs. Weaver put up an amazing 40 of Whitefish 42 assists.

Whitefish next travels Columbia Falls on Sept. 6.

Whitefish def. Polson, 23-25, 25-14, 25-21, 25-21

Kills – Polson 20 (Tina Marquardt 8), Whitefish 45 (Baylee Tveidt 16). Blocks – Polson 5 (Chloie Huerta 2), Whitefish 3 (Emily Sullivan 3). Digs – Polson 62 (Mackenzie Banner 17), Whitefish 53 (Kelsey McFadden 10, Sullivan 10). Assists – Polson 23 (Shalaina Duford 23), Whitefish 42 (Bekah Weaver 40). Aces – Polson 3 (unavailable), Whitefish 8 (Tveidt 5).