Lady Pirates volleyball gets ready for Divisionals

The Polson Lady Pirates volleyball team will enter the MHSA Class A Divisional Tournament as the lowest seeded team to qualify from their District.

Now, as the Lady Pirates prepare to face the No. 1 seeded team from the southwest, Polson coach Patty Luetzen has issued a challenge to each one of her players prior to Divisionals.

In order to have a chance to beat some of the top-caliber teams in the tournaments, Luetzen knows her team will have to play efficiently.

“If we are coming in as the No. 4 seed, we will be the underdogs through this whole tournament,” Luetzen said. “We are going to have to serve our best percentage and that is all you can ask for. We can’t commit errors when we are serving because those are all mental errors.”

Luetzen said she wants her team to focus on their serving percentage during this tournament and really focus on the mental aspect of their game.

“It is not like someone is standing in front of you blocking your serve,” Luetzen said. “We have to focus on the mental aspect of our game and we are going to need that going into the game. We are capable of being in that 97 percent serving in terms of percentage in order to feel good about ourselves at the end. We have to make those goals and achieve them.”

Another area the Lady Pirates are working on is their ability to communicate with each other throughout the course of the match. Luetzen said she felt her team has improved significantly in this area during the season.

“One of the things that we need to work on is our ability to communicate and take ownership of our mistakes and the team,” Luetzen said. “We have to have the ability to anticipate those three things and we need to work on our control at this point of the season.”

Luetzen said she felt her team is improving and during this tournament she wants them to continue to focus on getting better as they prepare to face some of the top-tier teams in Class A.

“We have finished the regular season strong and that is something that you can build on,” Luetzen said. “Honestly, that is what life is about and that is setting realistic goals that you build to bigger goals.”

Polson def. Ronan, 25-10, 18-25, 25-13, 25-18

Ronan: Kills 24 (Regan Clairmont 6, Madison Clairmont). Blocks 3 (Tiana Ulutoa 1). Digs 42 (Ulutoa 10). Assists 14 (Ulutoa 12). Aces 6 (Regan Clairmont 2, Bailee DeLaurenti 2).

Polson: Kills 33 (Kaelyn Smith 5, Olivia Perez 5). Blocks 3 (Smith 2, Kaylanna DesJarlais 4). Digs 61 (Kyler Lundeen 26, DesJarlais 12). Assists 15 (Laurel Bitterman 5, DesJarlais 4). Aces 15 (Bitterman 5, DesJarlais 4).

Columbia Falls def. Browning, 25-16, 25-19, 25-19

Browning: Kills 45 (Taylor Jordan 12, Dulci Skunk Cap 11). Blocks 11 (Skunk Cap 6). Digs 45 (Payton Cross Guns). Assists 11 (Olivia Hall 5, Jordan 5). Aces 5 (Hall 3).

Columbia Falls: Kills 32 (Trista Cowan 15, Ryley Kehr 7). Blocks 10 (Kehr 5). Digs 41 (Cowan 10, Hannah Schweikart). Assists 27 (Schweikart 25). Aces 9 (Kehr 3, Tallia Sova 2).

Libby def. Polson, 25-11, 25-21, 25-12

Libby: Kills 34 (Emily Mossburg 8, Mehki Sykes 8). Blocks 8 (Mossburg 5, Sykes 3). Digs 53 (Emma Gruber 18, Jayden Winslow 13). Assists 30 (Alli Collins 29). Aces 6 (Winslow 7, Brooklyn Rainer 2).

Polson: Kills 18 (Olivia Perez 6, Kaelyn Smith 5). Blocks N/A. Digs 52 (Kyler Lundeen 17, Smith 12). Assists 16 (Laurel Bitterman 15). Aces 5 (Smith 2, Perez 2).

(NWA District Tournament; Browning, MT)

Columbia Falls def. Whitefish, 25-21, 21-25, 25-16, 25-21

Whitefish: Kills 42 (Cailyn Ross 17, Marlee Bender 11). Blocks 8 (Ross 4, Bender 3). Digs 59 (Serena Hemmingson 17). Assists 40 (Becca Catina 30). Aces 4 (Hemmingson 3).

Columbia Falls: Kills 42 (Stella Bistodeau 13, Trista Cowan 12). Blocks 13 (Ryley Kehr 6, Kiera 3). Digs 67 (N/A). Assists 34 (Hannah Schweikart 31). Aces 10 (Savvy Ellis 3, Bistodeau 3).

Libby def. Columbia Falls 22-25, 23-25, 25-23, 25-20, 15-12

Third place

Whitefish def. Polson 25-17, 25-14, 25-17

Whitefish def. Ronan 25-13, 25-20, 25-9

Polson def. Browning 25-14, 25-16, 24-26, 27-25

Columbia Falls def. Whitefish 25-21, 21-25, 25-16, 25-21

Libby def. Polson 25-11, 25-21, 25-12