Pirates edge Maidens in volleyball rivalry thriller

At Polson on Saturday, Polson volleyballers engaged their county cousins in the first round of their annual Rez rivalry rendezvous wrangle with Ronan in an evenly matched contest.

The opening set featured a concerted Ronan attack as the Maidens forged ahead with a lead 15-12. Back-to-back service aces by Berkley Ellis drew her Lady Pirates back within one, but the Maidens countered with a Hannah Rowe ace to regain their composure with the aid of Polson trajectory malfunctions to take a 1-0 set lead.

The Lady Pirates responded by vaulting ahead with a 6-0 lead in the second set, forcing a Maiden timeout. Ronan regrouped to go on a 5-3 run that included an Olivia Clairmont kill, closing the gap that would force a Polson timeout to recalibrate. A 7-3 Lady Pirate run precipitated another Maiden timeout. Set two gravitated to Polson to even the sets at one apiece.

The third set featured five ties until Ronan edged ahead 14-11 after a Madeline McCrea spike, prompting Polson head coach Lizzy Cox to call a timeout. The Lady Pirates responded to tie the set at 14 apiece. Thrice more the set would tie at 15s, 16s and 17s, before the Lady Pirates strung together four straight that included a freshman Mckenna Hanson service ace and a Maggie Todd drift spike, precipitating a Maiden timeout. Points thereafter would alternate, but Polson had the advantage with the lead, taking the third for a 2-1 set advantage.

Polson shaped the tempo of the fourth set early, building an advantage. A Kobbey Smith kill extended the lead to 14-6, forcing Ronan to burn a timeout to stem the bleeding. A 4-1 Maiden run forced Polson to call time leading 15-10. Ronan closed the gap to within three, the cushion having shrunk to 21-18 that included an Olivia Clairmont kill along with Audriana Tatukivei service ace, precipitating Polson to call time once again to refocus as well as splash cold water on the flickering flame of a potential momentum shift. Maggie Todd managed a spirited kill for the 22nd point.

Senior libero Ara Mercer then stroked back-to-back service aces to push Polson within a single point of capturing the set, as well as the match, before a Maiden trajectory malfunction tacked the final nail in the coffin.

The second round of the Rez rivalry rendezvous wrangle takes place in Ronan the first weekend in October.

Polson def. Ronan 3-1

Polson (3-2, 5-2), Ronan (3-2, 4-3)

Polson def. Ronan 20-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-18

KILLS – R37* (Olivia Clairmont 12, LaReina Cordova 9, M.McCrea 8, Leina Ulutoa 7, R.Lindquist), P32 (Maggie Todd 18, Kobbey Smith 7, Hal 4, Liz Tolley 2, Kenna).

ACES – R6 (M.McCrea 2, H.Rowe 2, Lexi Wirz, Audriana Tatukivei), P11 (Berk 5, Kobb 2, Ara 2, McKenna Hanson 2).

ASSISTS – R32* (Hannah Rowe 30), P32 (Berkley Ellis 19, Hallie Moss 10, Mags, Kobb, Grace Simonich).

BLOCKS – R6 (Madeline McCrea 2BS2BA, O.Clairmont 1BS1BA, L.Ulutoa 1BS, H.Rowe 1BA), P3 (Mags, Moss, Simonich). DIGS – R54 (Rylie Lindquist 20, L. Cordova 10, Rowe 8, L.Ulutoa 6, McCrea 5, Katie Beh 3, L.Wirz 2), P60 (Mags 20, Ara Mercer 13, Berk 11, Kobb 9, Moss 2, Kenna 2, Liz, Simonich, Chloe). (Sa19Sep20) R22tae/P20tae, R12se/P7se, R7be/P7be

Asterisk (*) denotes stat variant(s) where alternate data exists between end of gm summary sheet, media coverage, MaxPreps postings and informal JH gm notes - R35k, R5a, R32s, R7b(McCrea 3.5), R59d/ P31s, P2b, P59d. Discrepancies likely trace to new contributors not yet integrated among lineup.