RONAN - Ronan (1-1) split their games this weekend, losing to Stevensville 3-1 on Thursday but then winning an important conference match-up against Columbia Falls 3-2 on Friday.

"They're huge confidence builders," head coach Naomi Mock said.

After a slow start caused them to lose their first set against Stevensville 25-15, Ronan put together an epic 30-28 win in the second. The Maidens fell behind early again, finding themselves in a 5-0 hole in the third, but they battled back and were as close as 18-17 before losing 25-18. In the fourth and deciding game, the Maidens led 8-3 before giving up the lead and stayed close at 18-17 before Stevensville scored eight straight points for the game win. Tuesday, Salmon did lead the team with 12 kills. Senior Tailyr Irvine also had 11 kills on the night.

"I think they realized how close they were in the Stevensville game," Mock said.

As a team, Ronan had eight aces and 31 assists in the game. Against Columbia Falls, they took the lessons of their close match against Stevensville and gutted out a victory.

"We're growing as a team," Mock said. "I think they're just coming together."

Ronan won the first game 25-23, lost the second 25-17, bounced back with another close 25-23 victory before Columbia Falls forced a fifth set with a 25-23 win. In their two defeats, Ronan was actually ahead in the match.

In the fifth and deciding match, Ronan won 15-13.

"They need to come out on top and stay there," Mock said. "Sometimes they think they have to be the underdogs."

Slow starts plagued Ronan in their game against Stevensville but they remedied that against Columbia Falls, a sign of improvement that shows the Maidens are on the rise.

"My team is above my expectations right now," Mock said. "We have room to grow but my whole team, in general, has gelled."

Ronan will play at the Tip-off Tournament this weekend in Columbia Falls.

Since tournaments don't count towards a team's record, it allows Mock a little more flexibility with things.

"You can kind of play with stuff and not worry about conference standings," she said.