Lady Pirates look strong early

POLSON — They're looking strong out of the gate.

The Polson Lady Pirates started out the season with a bang, getting a win against Corvallis in three straight games before cleaning up at the Whitefish Tip-off tourney last weekend.

Their only loss at the tourney was to Whitefish, who looks to have another strong team this year.

Against Corvallis, the girls won 25-20, 25-21, and 25-19. Emily Fors led the team with eight kills followed by Janell Lundeen with five. Dylen Zetterberg, the team's setter, had 19 of the team's 23 assists.

Gracie Sartori led the team with 12 digs, while Brynn Sloan, Zetterberg and Lundeen all had seven. The team's 43 digs showed how good their defense was against Corvallis' 34 digs.

Lindsey Rafter and Jennifer Gallatin had two aces apiece to lead the team, while Zetterberg had four blocks and Fors added three. The team had 10 blocks to the Blue Devils' eight.

At the tip-off tourney, Polson set Libby down 21-14 and 21-17 in best-of-three action, then defeated Hamilton 21-10 and 21-14. They faced Corvallis again, and beat them 21-18 and 21-12 before dispatching Park (Livingston) 21-17 and 21-19.

The Bulldogs beat them in two, though, 21-17 and 21-12, although the Bulldogs are expected to be one of the top teams in the state again this year.

The Lady Pirates will travel to the Hamilton Tip-off tourney this weekend before returning to host Ronan next Thursday and Libby on Saturday, Sept. 10. Game time is 4:15 for the JV teams and varsity should start around 6 p.m. for the Sept. 8 match-up against Ronan.