Lady Vikings’ perfect season spoiled by Scarlets
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CHARLO — All good things must come to an end. The Charlo’s District 10-C regular season win streak spanning back to October of 2008 was put to rest in Arlee last Tuesday.
After taking the first two sets 25-23, 25-22, the Lady Vikings dropped the next three sets 26-24, 25-21, 15-8 to lose their first regular season conference match since losing to the Savage Heat almost two years ago, but Charlo coach Sheryl Kain is trying to find the silver lining in the loss.
“I’d rather lose now, then in the first game of the tournament. I hope it helps,” Kain said. “Nobody wants to lose, but maybe it was good for us.”
After going undefeated during the regular season last year, the Lady Vikings lost to the Scarlets in the first game of the district tournament, so Kain is hoping Tuesday’s loss will serve as a wake-up call. Plus, besides maybe the fifth set, it wasn’t like her team played badly.
“It was a good match. Anybody that was there will tell you it was a good match,” Kain said.
It was a defensive match, with the two teams combining for 235 digs. Dawn Blevins led the Lady Vikings with 27 of their 94 digs. She also had a team-high 17 assists. The Lady Vikings finished with 44 kills with Kinley Pope leading the charge with 16.
The Lady Vikings got another wakeup call in a 25-21, 22-25, 25-12, 25-18 win over Noxon at home Saturday. Despite playing better than they did when the swept the Lady Red Devils in Noxon Sept. 9, the Lady Vikings were taken to four sets.
“Down in Noxon we gave them a lot of points by hitting into the net. This time they earned them,” Kain said.
Like most teams in the conference, the Lady Red Devils have improved since the start of the season, Kain said. She said her team needs to stay focused and consistent because they’re going to be tested at a wide-open district tournament at the end of October.
Against the Lady Red Devils, Kain switched her rotation around, giving Jazmine Hernandez-Kelley more time in the front and it paid dividends right away. Hernandez-Kelley led the Lady Vikings with 12 of their 32 kills. She also had a team-high two blocks. Pope led the team with 10 digs. Blevins had a match-high 23 assists and six aces.
The Lady Vikings (8-1, 5-1) travel to Hot Springs Thursday and finish the week in St. Regis Saturday.
Summary
Arlee def. Charlo 23-25, 22-25, 26-24, 25-21, 15-8.
Kills - Charlo 44 (Kinley Pope 16), Arlee 14 (Becca Nelson 6). Blocks - Charlo 5 (Pope 3), Arlee 4 (Courtney Dix 4). Digs - Charlo 94 (Dawn Blevins 27), Arlee 141 (Cassandra Kline 35). Assists - Charlo 34 (Blevins 17), Arlee 14 (Dix 14). Aces - Charlo 11 (Jessica Foust 4), Arlee 13 (Bailey Rice 4).
Charlo def. Noxon 25-21, 22-25, 25-12, 25-18
Kills - Noxon 20 (Jordyn Wilkinson 8), Charlo 32 (Jazmine Hernandez-Kelley 12). Blocks - Noxon 11 (Kim Marich 7), Charlo 3 (Hernandez-Kelley 2). Digs - Noxon 42 (Cara Stettler 12), Charlo 42 (Kinley Pope 10). Assists - Noxon 17 (Shelby Clark 15), Charlo 29 (Dawn Blevins 23). Aces - Noxon 8 (Wilkinson 4, Stettler 4), Charlo 22 (Blevins 6).
