Battle of the Kootenai volleyball: Lady Loggers beat Eureka in three
Libby senior Mehki Sykes goes in for the final kill of the night against Eureka during the Battle of the Kootenai match Tuesday. The Lady Loggers beat the Lady Lions in three sets: 25-20, 25-11, 25-11. (Ben Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby senior Mehki Sykes goes up for a kill in the second set of the Lady Loggers’ three-set win against Eureka Tuesday. (Ben Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby senior Jessika Jones makes a block to tie the set score 2-2 early in the second set of the Battle of the Kootenai. (Ben Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby senior Jayden Winslow gets a kill in the second set of the Lady Loggers’ three-set win against the Eureka Lady Lions during the Battle of the Kootenai match Tuesday. (Ben Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby senior Alli Collins serves up an ace during the first set of the Lady Loggers’ three-set win against the Lady Lions. (Ben Kibbey/The Western News)
Libby senior Emma Gruber serves up her fifth ace of the night during the second set of the Lady Loggers’ win against Eureka Tuesday. Gruber racked up eight aces for the match. (Ben Kibbey/The Western News)
The Libby High School volleyball team took the win in the Battle of the Kootenai in three sets against the Eureka Lady Lions Tuesday.
Despite a slow start and an attempted comeback by Eureka late in the first set, Libby senior Mehki Sykes sealed the first set as she did the last and the match: with a final kill.
After that 25-20 set, Eureka held a brief 2-1 lead in the second before an 8-point run by Libby firmly established the lead.
The Lady Lions managed to keep the score close early in the third set as well, but Sykes and fellow senior Jayden Winslow “killed” that hope, putting the Lady Loggers into a 10-3 lead.
“We started off slow in the first set, but then got a rhythm going in the last two sets to win decisively,” said Head Coach Cindy Ostrem-Johnston by email. “We did our part for the Battle of the Kootenai!”
Ostrem-Johnston gave a “well done” to the Lady Loggers for their serving, with 94 percent. At the forefront, juniors Kylee Quinn and Ashlynn Monigold joined senior Emma Gruber with 100 percent on for serving.
Gruber also set the standard Tuesday with aces, scoring the first and the second-to-last point for Libby with aces, and serving six more between.
Middle hitter Sykes was once again a towering powerhouse at the net. Bringing 15 kills down on the heads of the Lady Lions, Sykes had a .458 attack percentage, significantly contributing to the team’s overall .282.
Setting up the team’s attack, Libby’s senior setter Alli Collins had 30 assists for the match.
Ostrem-Johnston has set a goal of .300 attack percentage for the team, which the Lady Loggers have exceeded during at least one match this season.
Libby plays again at home Saturday, Oct. 6, when they face Browning.
Battle of the Kootenai
Tuesday, Sept. 25
Libby (6-0 Conf, 8-0) 3, Eureka 0
Sets: 25-20, 25-11, 25-11
L: 12 ace, 32 kill, 21 assist, 6 block, 45 dig; Alli Collins 2 ace, 30 assist, 3 dig; Sheyla Gallagher 1 kill, 2 block, 1 dig; Jayden Winslow 2 ace, 6 kill, 1 assist, 13 dig; Kenzie Proffitt 4 kill, 3 block; Mehki Sykes 15 kill, 2 dig; Ashlynn Monigold 6 dig; Linsey Walker 6 dig; Jessika Jones 6 kill, 3 block, 2 dig; Emma Gruber 8 ace, 12 dig