Knights, Pioneers play well at Northern C

The North Star Knights and the Big Sandy Pioneers have both been outstanding volleyball teams this season. And that's why it was only fitting that the two District 6C East rivals squared off one last time, with everything hanging in the balance.

The Knights and Pioneers met in the fourth-place match Saturday at the Northern C Divisional in Belt, just one week after the two teams played three epic matches at the 6C East Tournament in Chinook.

And like the final title bout in Chinook, it was the Knights who came out on top again, this time, beating the Pioneers by scores of 25-21, 25-22 and 25-16.

The win gave the Knights a chance to keep their season going, while it ended Big Sandy's standout run. Melissa Pester totaled 10 kills, five blocks and two aces for the Knights, while Molly Herron had nine kills, and Kaylie Gilman added six digs and two blocks in the loss.

With the win over Big Sandy, North Star moved into the third-place match and one win from a berth in the Class C state tourney. But it wasn't to be as the Geraldine Tigers ended North Star's season in straight sets Saturday afternoon. The Tigers beat the Knights by scores of 25-20, 25-19 and 25-20.

In their last match of a great season, the Knights got eight kills and 14 assists by Lisa Carlon, while Mackenzie Hansen had nine digs.

The Knights opened the Northern C tourney with a dramatic five-set win over Fort Benton on Thursday. North Star lost the first two sets by scores of 28-26 and 15-25, but rallied to win the next three by scores of 25-22, 25-17 and 15-10.

Lisa Carlon came up big with eight kills, while Bettie Carlon added 16 assists and six service aces in the thrilling win.

In the same opening round, Big Sandy also had to endure a five-setter to advance. Like the Knights, the Pioneers rebounded from a 2-0 deficit to beat Sunburst in five. Big Sandy won by scores of 22-25, 14-25, 27-25, 25-22 and 15-9. Herron had 10 kills and five digs in the win, while Gilman had four blocks and two aces and Brooke Leader totaled 19 assists.

In the quarterfinals on Thursday night, both the Pioneers and Knights came up short.

Geraldine handed North Star both its losses at the Northern C, as the Tigers defeated the Knights 25-14, 25-18 and 25-23 on Thursday night. Hansen had 11 digs and Pester four blocks in the loss.

Things were even more difficult for Big Sandy on Thursday as the Pioneers were drubbed by top-seeded Belt. The Huskies swept the Pioneers by scores of 25-12, 25-9 and 25-8. Gilman had four kills and Shayna Gilead added five digs in the loss for Big Sandy.

Never-the-less, both the Knights and Pioneers rebounded Friday afternoon.

Big Sandy eliminated Simms in straight sets, by scores of 25-22, 25-20 and 25-14. Gilman and Herron each had six kills in the win, while Leader had 13 assists and six digs.

North Star had a tougher time, having to go five sets to beat rival Sunburst on Friday, but the Knights prevailed by scores of 19-25, 25-19, 24-26, 25-14 and 15-12. Lisa Carlon had 12 kills, four blocks and four digs in the win over the Refiners, and that win set up the showdown with the Pioneers.

While Big Sandy finished fourth and North Star third, Belt rolled Geraldine in the championship match, and both the Huskies and Tigers will move on to the Class C state tournament, which starts Thursday in Bozeman.

Northern C

At Belt

Thursday

North Star def. Fort Benton

26-28, 15-25, 25-22, 25-17, 15-10

Fort Benton – Kills 29 (Hulme 13), Blocks 8 (2 with 2 each), Aces 11 (Hulme 3), Digs 61 (Claaassen 19), Assists 25 (Allen 11).

North Star – Kills 29 (Lisa Carlon 8), Blocks 10 (Melissa Pester 6), Aces 11 (Bettie Carlon 6), Digs 33 (Delainey Spicher 9), Assists 29 (B. Carlon 16).

Big Sandy def. Sunburst

22-25, 14-25, 27-25, 25-22, 15-9

Sunburst – Kills 19 (B. Lindkog 8), Blocks 3 (H. Hauschulz 2), Aces 2 (Hauschulz 2), Digs 121 (Ehelers 25), Assists 16 (Lidskog 15).

Big Sandy – Kills 42 (Molly Herron 10), Blocks 5 (Kaylie Gilman 4), Aces 7 (Gilman 2, Kylie Cline 2), Digs 22 (Herron 5), Assists 33 (Brooke Leader 19).

Geraldine def. North Star

25-14, 25-18, 25-23

North Star – Kills 24 (Lisa Carlon 8), Digs 38 (Mackenzie Hansen 11), Assists 20 (L. Carlon 13), Aces 2 (Carlon 2), Blocks 9 (Melissa Pester 4).

Geraldine – Kills 31 (Alexandra Rawland 18), Digs 49 (Korbin Duvall 14), Assists 30 (Duvall 16), Aces 4, Blocks 5 (Heather Wishman 2, Rawland 2).

Belt def. Big Sandy

25-12, 25-9, 25-8

Big Sandy – Kills 9 (Kaylie Gilman 4), Digs 19 (Shayna Gilead 5), Assists 9 Brooke Leader 8), Aces 1 (Leela Engle 1), Blocks 3.

Belt – Kills 29 (Katie Fetterer 10), Digs 46 Kara Gerke 12), Assists 29 Josie Stinson 27), Aces 5 (Stinson 3), Blocks 6 (Fetterer 2).

Friday

Big Sandy def. Simms (lo)

25-22, 25-20, 25-14

Simms -- Kills: 24 (Bailee Lapke 8). Blocks: 12 (Lapke 4). Aces: 6 (Clara Coxe 3). Digs: 40 (Kendra Sodergren 7). Assists: 23 (Meek 15).

Big Sandy -- Kills: 27 (Kaylie Gilman 6, Molly Herron 6). Blocks: 3 (Leela Engle 2). Digs: 26 (Shanya Gilead 6, Brooke Leader 6). Assists: 24 (Leader 13).

North Star def. Sunburst (lo)

19-25, 25-19, 24-26, 25-14, 15-12

North Star -- Kills: 33 (Lisa Carlon 12). Blocks: 9 (L. Carlon 4). Aces: 10 (Bettie Carlon 5). Digs: 47 (L. Carlon 4, Kassidy Hansen 4). Assists: 32 (B. Carlon 17).

Sunburst -- Kills: 27 (Brooke Lindskog 11). Blocks: 6 (B. Lindskog 2, Hannah Hauschulz 2). Aces; 1 (B. Lindskog). Digs: 111 (Rachel Ehlers 23). Assists: 25 (Courtney Lindskog 22).

Saturday

North Star def. Big Sandy (lo)

25-21, 25-22, 25-16

North Star – Kills: 32 (Melissa Pester 10). Assists: 31 (Bettie Carlon 18). Blocks: 11 (Pester 5). Aces: 6 (Carlon 2, Pester 2). Digs: 31 (Tylynn Rettig 7, Jackenzie Hansen 7, Delainey Spicher 7).

Big Sandy – Kills: 20 (Molly Heron 9). Assists: 20 (Brooke Leader 12). Blocks: 2 (Kaylie Gilman 2). Aces: 2 (Leader 1, Kylie Cline 1). Digs: 20 (Gilman 6).

Third place

Geraldine def. North Star

25-20, 25-19, 25-20

North Star – Kills: 29 (Lisa Carlon 8). Assists: 27 (Carlon 14). Blocks: 2 (Melissa Pester 2). Aces: 7 (Tylynn Rettig 2). Digs: 26 (Mackenzie Hansen 9).

Geraldine – Kills: 35 (Alexandra Rowland 18). Assists: 30 (Raymi Burthcett 18). Blocks: 5 (Rowland 4). Digs: 46 (Rowland 11).

Big Sandy's Leela Engle ,left, and Brooke Leader block a Sunburst shot during the Northern C volleyball tournament last Thursday in Belt.