It was a good week for the Thompson Falls volleyballers, who split a pair of games, sweeping one and going five sets in the other before falling after an extremely hard fought match.

The Lady Hawks opened their week with a 3-0 sweep of Sanders County rival Plains in Thompson Falls, then took to the road for a thriller in Anaconda that went the distance before the home team Lady Copperheads pulled out a 3-2 triumph.

T Falls began the week Thursday, hosting their rivals from just down Highway 200. The two teams battled back and forth in the first set before the Lady Hawks managed to pull away for a 25-20 win and a 1-0 match lead.

They continued to use their size and athleticism in sets two and three, winning the second set 25-17 and completing the sweep with a 25-16 win in the third and deciding set.

The Lady Hawks got balanced statistics from several different players in the win over Plains, including a match-high 14 assists from Olivia Fitchett. Plains’ Blakely Lakko had the second most assists in the match with 13.

Addy Deal had a solid match for the Lady Hawks, racking up six service aces, four kills and one block. Sarah Koskela also had a fine all-around match, recording two aces, five kills, and a team-high four digs.

Six-footer Gabi Hannum had three blocks for the Lady Hawks.

For the Trotters, Lexi Deming had a great match, leading Plains with six kills, two service aces and three digs.

Teammate Lakko had two aces to go with her assists, while Teagen Saner had a match best seven blocks for the Trotters.

Saturday the Lady Hawks journeyed to Anaconda where they ran into a fired up Lady Copperheads team, which came out and overwhelmed T Falls on their way to a 25-8 first set victory and a 1-0 match lead.

The Lady Hawks bounced back for a narrow 25-23 second set win, tying the match at one set each. Anaconda controlled the third set, coasting to a 25-13 win, while the Lady Hawks returned the favor in set number four, grabbing a 25-15 win and squaring the match at two sets apiece.

That set up a fifth set tie-breaker, which was a mirror of the match, back and forth play by both teams. In the end, the home team Copperheads were able to eke out a 15-11 match clinching fifth set victory to claim the 3-2 match win.

Hannum had a solid game against Anaconda, leading the team in service aces with three, and blocks with two, which tied teammate Grace Naccarini for the team lead. Hannum also had seven kills to share the team lead in that category with Koskela, who led the Lady Hawks in digs with 10. Deal also had 10 digs for T Falls.

Annalise Fairbank racked up 12 assists to pace the Lady Hawks in that category.

Both T Falls and Plains return to action this Thursday, with the Trotters hosting Darby and T Falls taking on Arlee in their Homecoming match.