Ronan faces tough competition in Hamilton Zach UrnessLeader Staff
Carli Starkel puts down a kill against Anaconda on Friday at the Hamilton Invitational. Starkel had five aces at the tournament. Zach Urness/Leader
HAMILTON — The Ronan volleyball team went 3-9 at last week's Hamilton Invitational, going 3-5 on Friday and 0-4 on Sunday against the top class A competition in Western Montana.
The tournament featured six teams from both the southwestern and northwestern conference who played two games against each other up to 18 points.
The Maidens had to do it without their head coach, Stacey Ropp, who was sick over the weekend.
Ronan's first game on Friday came against Frenchtown and they lost 18-11, 18-15. Against the host team from Hamilton the Maidens split, 9-18, 18-9 but then they lost to Dillon 18-15, 18-12.
Ronan came back and ended the first day of competition with a big sweep over Stevensville 18-17, 18-15.
Saturday brought less fortune for the Maidens, who lost to Anaconda 18-4, 18-4 and then dropped a pair to Corvallis, 18-13, 18-13.
In the consolation game, Ronan again matched up with Corvallis and, although they won the first game, they lost the two-out-of-three series by a score of 21-17, 18-21, 18-16.
Kallia Orr led the team in aces with seven, and Carli Starkel and Allison Crenshaw each had five. Starkel also led the team in kills, with 29, and she was followed by Kaylee Larson, who had 17 and Crenshaw, who had seven.
Ashlee Cheff led the team in assists with 27 and Starkel and Crenshaw led the team in blocks with two each.
Larson had 42 digs with Starkel and Crenshaw each amassing 20 to round out the statistics for Ronan.
The Maidens were in action Tuesday night against Frenchtown as the Leader went to press and will play tonight (Thursday, Sept. 13) against Columbia Falls.