Whitefish drops Anaconda, Belgrade in state A volleyball

The Daily Inter Lake

BOZEMAN - It takes an awful lot to knock off a two-time defending state champion.

Two Class A volleyball teams - Anaconda and Belgrade - found that out Thursday.

Both played tough - both came up short in their efforts to down the Whitefish Lady Bulldogs.

Anaconda led the Bulldogs 23-18 in the fourth game.

Belgrade won the first game and led 4-0 in the second game.

Whitefish won both matches - 25-27, 25-13, 25-20, 25-23 over Anaconda and 21-25, 25-23, 25-13, 25-20 over Belgrade.

"That's this team. They do that a lot. They get themselves in a hole, but they never give up," Whitefish coach Jackie Fuller said of the Bulldogs.

Those two wins mean the Bulldogs are in the Class A state semifinals. They'll face Dillon tonight at 6. The Bulldogs also know they are in the trophies. They can do no worse now than third place.

Fuller discounts the defending-champion theory, though.

"We do not talk about that. What was last year was last year.

"It's different. It's different every year. It's different chemistry. It's different kids," she smiled.

Still, seven members of this 2006 team were at state last year - five played and three have been members of the last two championship teams.

Composure has been the mark of this Whitefish team all year long, Fuller said.

The attitude among the players is '"We're OK. No biggie,'" she said.

"They have the belief in their hearts," she said.

But, "we're not coming out with the fire we need to come out in," she acknowledged.

"We need to do that. All these teams are great teams. That's why they're here," she said.

"We still have a long way to go to meet our potential."

Against Anaconda, it was senior setter Kali Schmidt who came through for Whitefish.

Trailing 23-18, Schmidt served seven straight points.

"Basically, it was her competitive spirit," Fuller said of Schmidt.

"I knew in my heart we were OK (when Schmidt went back to serve). The tighter the game, the more competitive Schmidtty gets."

Whitefish clawed its way back into the second game against Belgrade - clutch digs and kills came from every corner of the court as both teams rode a roller coaster of back-and-forth volleyball.

And then suddenly the game was over.

Two kills by junior Ashley Ferda and a kill attempt by Belgrade that never cleared the net - and Whitefish was back in the match.

Game 3 was a blocking/hitting demonstration by the Bulldogs. Whitefish trailed only briefly, then rolled.

Somewhere in there, fear and uncertainty began to show on the Panther faces - and businesslike confidence appeared on the countenances of the Bulldogs.

The fourth game was another display of digging a hole, then climbing out.

Whitefish trailed 5-0, but finally scored with a cross-court kill by Kaitlin O'Leary.

From there, the Bulldogs climbed steadily back into the game - picking their way.

They tied the game at 12-all, then 13-all. A kill by senior Courtney Ferda finally broke the ice and Whitefish never trailed again.

Courtney Ferda finished the match with 11 kills, five blocks and 10 digs. Younger cousin Ashley added 14 kills, 18 digs.

Second Round

Whitefish def. Belgrade 21-25, 25-23, 25-13, 25-20

Kills - Whitefish 43 (Ashley Ferda 14, Courtney Ferda 11, Kaitlin O'Leary 11), Belgrade 31 (Jessica Hesper 13), Assists - Whitefish 43 (Kali Schmidt 43), Belgrade 34 (Jessie Breamy 31); Blocks - Whitefish 15 (Courtney Ferda 5, Schmidt 4, Brielle Menegazzi 3), Belgrade (Jessica Hesper 2, Jessie Greany 2), Digs - Whitefish 54 (Ashley Ferda 18, Courtney Ferda 10, O'Leary 9), Belgrade 53 (Brittney Havey 12), Aces - Whitefish 13 (Schmidt 5, Kellie Kalbfleisch 3, O'Leary 3), Belgrade 10 (Jillian Hoblitt 4).

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First Round

Whitefish def. Anaconda 25-27, 25-13, 25-20, 25-23.

Kills - Anaconda 30 (Shanina Friesz 11, Sam Barkell 9, Korey Krumm 5, Bri Ovrino 5), Whitefish 45 (Ashley Ferda 16, Kaitlin O'Leary 15, Courtney Ferda 12). Blocks - Anaconda 6 (Friesz 2, Krumm 2, Barkell 2), Whitefish 9 (Brielle Menegazzi 4, C. Ferda 2, Kali Schmidt 2). Assists - Anaconda 23 (Ovrino 13, Kirsten King 10), Whitefish 43 (Schmidt 39, C. Ferda 2). Digs - Anaconda 51 (Jessie Moodry 15, Ovrino 9, King 8), Whitefish 80 (A. Ferda 24, O'Leary 11, Schmidt 10). Aces - Anaconda 4 (Friesz 2, Barkell 1, Ovrino 1), Whitefish 11 (Schmidt 5, O'Leary 3).