Polson chains Lady Dawgs

POLSON - Lady Pirates' coach Jan Toth certainly knows how to prepare for a game.

In practice, Toth has been having her varsity play the JV team with a pre set 10-0 disadvantage. When the JV scores, the girls have to run.

"We definitely worked on mental toughness in practice," Toth said.

That exercise in playing down may have helped last Saturday when the Pirates faced the second-best team in the conference, Whitefish. The Lady Bulldogs brought the energy but Polson prevailed 3-1 to improve to 8-0 on the season.

Due to six service errors that proved to be the difference in the first game, the Bulldogs took the early 1-0 lead with a 25-23 opening game win. Then things got interesting. Polson led the entire way in the second game and junior Riley Kenny, who's struggling with a shoulder injury, made a block for a match point in a 25-20 victory. In the third stanza, there were three lead changes and eight ties as the Pirates gutted out the 25-23 win to take the match lead. Junior Ashley Johnson, who hadn't served all year, came in with a 14-14 tie in that game and continued to serve until Polson took an important 18-14 lead.

"Each of my girls collectively came through at times," Toth said.

In the fourth game, Whitefish took an early 4-3 lead and wouldn't relinquish it until senior Sallie Sams had a kill to take the 21-20 lead. The Lady Pirates ended up winning 25-22 thanks largely to a full team effort.

"It was pretty intense," Toth said. "Whitefish always plays us hard."

Senior Kayla Duford had thirty assists in the game, four blocks and five service aces.

"You can always see she's very poised on the court," Toth said.

Senior Breanne Kelley and Kenney both made key kills in the match to swing the momentum back Polson's way.

"When the balls are going that fast it kind of takes the wind out of their sales," Toth said.

Kelley led the team in kills with 15 of Polson's 45.