Season in Review: Maidens make their mark

Ronan volleyball had an exceptional season of turnaround proportions under first-year coach Lacey Phelan. Ronan (11-11) posted their best record since returning to the Class A ranks while also qualifying for their first trip to the State A stage in almost two decades.

Ronan posted a 3-2 winning mark against nonconference opponents, but might have nudged that another notch had their second regular schedule contest against Frenchtown not been cancelled.

Advancing into Western A Divisional action as Northwest fourth-seed after securing their play-in match victory over Libby, the Maidens shocked Southwest top-seed Corvallis with a three-set sweep to set up a divisional showdown with county rival Polson. Though they would come out on the short end of their third meeting against the Lady Pirates, the Maidens advanced past the loser-out match against Frenchtown to qualify for State.

The Maidens again faced Polson in the consolation round at State, flipping the script on the outcome of the preceding divisional encounter to even their season series at two apiece.

Ronan's last odyssey to the State stage traces back to 2001, when volleyball was a winter sport with set scores played to 15. In the preceding divisional tournament that season, after an opening round loss, the 2001 Maidens reeled off four straight loser-out wins to make the championship before being swept by Whitefish.

Having as a result secured the West two-seed, the 2001 Maidens survived their State A opener against Laurel 3-2 before being swept in their subsequent pair of matches. Among that 2001 squad included former Maiden coach Charla Lake as a sophomore. In a twist of irony that illustrates the saying about fruit seldom falling far from its tree of origin, Lake's daughter Rylie Lindquist figured prominently into the fortunes of the 2020 Ronan accomplishments.

The Maidens graduate a quartet of seniors in Madeline McCrea, Katie Beh, Kiana King and Jaylea Lunceford. The University of Providence-bound McCrea wrapped up her career with over 600 career kills and more than 200 cumulative blocks, with more than 100 total blocks coming in her senior season alone.

Ronan will return a trio of all-conference players in Leina Ulutoa, Olivia Clairmont and Lindquist, along with a seasoned roster that has benefitted from the caliber of postseason play.