HS spikers split matches

Hot Springs High School split its varsity volleyball matches last week, earning a three-set sweep over St. Regis at home Thursday before falling at Seeley-Swan in a closely contested five-set match Saturday.

The Lady Savage Heat have a similar schedule this week. They play Thursday at Plains and entertain Noxon in their Homecoming match Saturday. Both junior varsity matches start at 4:30 p.m., followed by the varsity matches around 6 p.m.

Hot Springs turned back St. Regis in close competition in the first two sets, winning 25-20 and 25-18, then the Lady Savage Heat rolled to an easy 25-14 victory in the third game. They are now 4-2 in the Western Division.

“We were trying our new rotation again,” Hot Springs head coach Alisha Pablo said, and that was using Sage Jackson as the libero.

Pablo was pleased with the play of McKennzie Cannon, who led the Lady Savage Heat with seven kills against St. Regis.

“She’s really coming on strong for us,” Pablo said.

The coach also singled out senior Claire McAllister for her play off the Hot Springs bench.

Sydney Jackson dished out 16 set assists in the St. Regis match. Sage Jackson led in digs with 12. Katelyn Christiansen returned from concussion protocol and paced the Lady Savage Heat in aces with five.

HOT SPRINGS engaged in another one of numerous five-set matches this season, against Seeley-Swan. The teams traded wins, with Seeley-Swan coming out on top in the first and third sets, and Hot Springs winning the second and fourth. Seeley-Swan squeaked out a deciding set win by two points. Set scores for Seeley-Swan were 25-16, 23-25, 25-21, 18-25 and 15-13.

Just when the Lady Savage Heat were getting healthy, Savannah Roosma went down with a minor knee injury. “But she will be OK,” Pablo said.

“It wasn’t the most positive game for us. We struggled with passing,” she said, and Roosma going out created a void at the net. “Our middle hitters are our dominant players.”

Hot Springs had some good things happen during the Seeley-Swan match.

“They’re very scrappy, they never quit,” Pablo said of her team.

Christiansen got back on track at the net against Seeley-Swan, leading in kills with 12 of the team’s total of 31. Cannon was strong at the net and service line, credited with four blocks and six aces. Sydney Jackson had 20 assists, and Sage Jackson had 14 of the team’s 65 digs.