Busy weekend for Blue Pony spikers

After two difficult losses at home last weekend, the Havre High volleyball program is more than happy to get back on the court in attempt to get on track with a busy three days this weekend.

Last time on the court, the Central A Blue Ponies lost to Lewistown and Choteau at the Havre High gymnasium. Both losses were devastating to the team, but the Ponies have three more opportunities to redeem themselves with matches today, Friday and Saturday.

Tonight, the Ponies will face the Class AA CMR Rustlers in Great Falls. And on Friday the Ponies will host Conrad at 7 p.m. before hosting the conference rival Browning Indians at 5 p.m Saturday. Both home matches will be played at the Havre High gymnasium.

“I am looking forward to these matches,” Havre High head coach Melanie Skoyen said. “Especially after having a letdown weekend last weekend. It is good to get right back on the court and play some teams that we can be competitive with and even beat. It is going to be good for us to have more games, we had a very good week of practice, we changed our lineup around a bit, and I have liked what I have been seeing so far.”

Some key moves include moving Dani Wagner from the setter position to the back row for her defensive and passing skills. Wagner’s hitting skills will also be utilized as she moves up the front row at times, but her passing from the back should give the Ponies a real boost. HHS has struggled with defense and serve-receive, but with Wagner helping carry that load moving forward, there should be some positive steps taken this weekend. The Ponies will also attempt to boost production with the use of different liberos.

“We need to try different things so that we aren’t losing games as bad as we did last Friday and Saturday with nothing else to fall back on,” Skoyen said. “We always need a backup plan, and I think this is a good weekend to try it, so we will see how it goes.”

CMR and Conrad both house talented programs, and will push the Ponies before facing a crucial match against the Indians. But the two non-conference matches also mean the perfect time to work on things before the more important conference match. Both CMR and Conrad have had their share of struggles this season, but they will throw some talented hitters at the Ponies. CMR houses hitters like Ashlee Atchison, while Conrad has a tandout in Emily Harwood. But Atchison and Harwood will also present tough blocks upfront for HHS hitters like Lacey Waid and Aubrea Worm to hit against. Jacinta Finneman and Martha Stocker will also be key in the success found this weekend, coming off a great weekend last weekend with their talented blocking.

The same list of Havre names will be key against Browning on Saturday, but coach Skoyen knows it will take a team effort to get past the Indians, even with their continuing struggles.

At the beginning of the season the Ponies did defeat the Indians 25-22, 25-15, 25-11 in Browning. The Indians are led by the likes of Whitney Bremmer and Shelsey St. Goddard, and Hilary Omesso, and if the Ponies don’t clean up their play, the Indians could push the Ponies on senior night.

“We have confidence,” Skoyen said. “But being we haven’t played well at home, there are still some things we have to make sure we do. We have to be focused, disciplined, and we have to play together as a team. If we can do those things we should find success.”

Tonight the Ponies will face the CMR in Great Falls. And on Friday the Ponies will host Conrad at 7 p.m. before hosting Browning at 5 p.m. Both home matches will be played at the Havre High gymnasium in Havre.