Lady Hawks lose momentum at Divisional Tournament

Matt Unrau

Volleyball is a game of momentum, where one play can swing the momentum in a team’s favor and lead to runs of five or six point bursts. Not only can the momentum come in points, but winning a big match can cause momentum to carry over into the next match and lead to a run in a tournament.

For the Lady Hawks, a momentous win was almost in their grasp during their second match of the tournament against Eureka. Up two games to one against district rival Eureka, Thompson Falls controlled their own destiny. However, momentum turned on them. Eureka ended up tying them with a game four victory beating the Lady Hawks 25-15.

Then, in the final game before the Lady Hawks were able to catch their breath, they found themselves down 0-7, and lost to 5-15. After this victory ,Eureka stampeded to Saturday night eventually losing in five games to Deer Lodge and winning third place in the Divisional Tournament.

“I think we could have gone quite a ways(if we had won that fifth game),” says Senior Kyla Molzhon. “We just didn’t have the right stuff going for us at the right time.”

Playing five games against Eureka was a familiar position for the Lady Hawks who had gone five games with Eureka twice in the season, both sharing a victory. They had also met another time and played four games.

The Thursday game was a much tougher matchup for the Lady Hawks. They lost in three games to eventual Divisonal champion Loyola. 20-25, 17-25 and 13-25.

“Loyola is a good team,” said Coach Sandra Kazmierczak after the loss. “A very strong team.” The struggle for her team during the game was passing, which Coach Kazmierczak says is the most important part of the game.

Molzhon led the Lady Hawks with seven kills and two aces against Loyola. Karli Cavill, also playing in her final games with the Lady Hawks had 14 assists. Emily Wadsworth had 13 digs and Kamiah Schomer had two aces. Another crucial part of the game that was missing for the Lady Hawks were blocks. Thompson Falls had zero blocks against Loyola. Blocks, wether tips or full rebuttals are a big part of the game and can make it easier for the back court to make good digs and passes.

For Molzhon the match on Friday against Eureka marks her last high school volleyball game. She says after a tough start to the season her team really came on strong in the end.

“I think it(the end of the season) was pretty strong. We lost the game, but it was a good game to lose. We tried our hardest and ended on a good note,” says Molzhon who led the team with 19 kills and 30 digs.

Coach Kazmierczak agrees with Molzhon about the stellar finish by her team. “The improvement throughout the season was terrific,” says Kazierczak.

As for saying goobye to her career, Molzhon says it’s bittersweet, and will miss the fun of high school sports especially if she goes on to play at the college level.

“You can still have fun, it’s not such a big deal if you lose,” says Molzhon. “You’re there because you love it.”

Many of the volleyball players will now prepare for the basketball season, which starts on the next couple weeks.