After sampling both ends of the Western 7B regular season standings, Thompson Falls got a good taste of what is to come this coming Friday and Saturday as the regular volleyball season came to an end and the playoffs are next on the menu.

The Lady Hawks began their week with a home sweep over 3-11 Troy, then ran into the main course that is conference leading Eureka in a 3-1 match loss to the once-beaten Lady Lions.

T Falls began the last week of the regular season hosting the Lady Trojans from Troy who put up a good fight in the first set before succumbing to the Hawks 25-20. The home team then took a commanding 2-0 match lead when the defeated Troy 25-18 in the second set.

Set three proved to be the easiest pill to swallow for the Lady Hawks as they devoured the Trojans 25-13 for their ninth win of the season.

The Hawks got double figure assist totals from two players, with Annalise Fairbank recording a team and match best 12 assists, while teammate Gabi Hannum added 10. Hannum also led the home team in blocked shots with six, while Fairbank had five kills as part of her contribution.

Junior Sarah Koskela led the Hawks with seven kills and also had three service aces.

After enjoying the Trojan feast, Thompson Falls traveled to Eureka this past Saturday for their second meeting in three weeks with the regular season 7B champion Lady Lions, who are 16-1 overall on the year and a perfect 9-0 in conference play.

Eureka took a 1-0 match lead with a tough 25-18 first set win. They followed that victory with an even harder-fought 26-24 win in the second set on their way to a 2-0 match lead. The pivotal third set was similar to the third set from the two teams’ match October 9, with Thompson Falls battling from behind in their first meeting to produce a 2-1 Eureka match lead after three sets.

Thompson Falls captured the third set 25-19 and appeared to have swung momentum their way. But Eureka showed why it has lost only one match all year and fought off the determined Lady Hawks team 25-20 to clinch a 3-1 match triumph.

Several Lady Lions had outstanding stats for the match, paced by Kara Stanger, who had a match best 23 kills to go with her 17 digs. Teammate Annie Vaughn had 21 assists, 11 digs and seven kills for Eureka, which had 51 kill shots as a team, along with a staggering 73 digs and 47 assists on the night.

Thompson Falls also had good matches from Olivia Fitchett, who had 21 assists and 10 digs, Koskela (10 kills and 10 digs) and Addi Pardee, who contributed seven kills and 14 digs for the Lady Hawks.

Thompson Falls enters the 7B tournament as the second seed, while Eureka is the top seed. T Falls will likely be paired with Troy, the fifth seed in the six team 7B conference, while Eureka will take on Superior in their opening round match.

Plains, the three seed in the tourney, will most likely face St. Ignatius in the other opening round match.

The tourney is this Friday and Saturday at Plains High.