As is often the case, play-in games for on-the-bubble teams and their hopes for post-season action can be the most intense and hard-fought matches of the tournament.

The Western B and Western 13C district tournaments this past week in Thompson Falls and Pablo respectively only reinforced that trend. 

With one chance to move on or go home, most teams leave it all on the court. 

Perhaps the epitome of that concept was the play-in volleyball match between 13C rivals St. Regis and Hot Springs this past Wednesday at Salish Kootenai College’s event center in Pablo. 

Hot Springs took a slim, early lead at 2-1 in the first set before St. Regis tied the score at three.  The Lady Heat regrouped and reeled off four straight points to give them a 7-3 lead over St. Regis in what was to become a set that was tied several times with several lead changes before the Lady Tigers were able to slowly pull out to a 22-17 lead on their way to a 25-22 win over the Lady Heat. 

The second set was almost a duplicate of the first, with Hot Springs taking an early lead and growing it to 8-2 before St. Regis rallied and tied the set at nine. The two teams tied again at 17-17 before the Lady Tigers pulled away to a 24-18 lead en route to a 25-19 set two win and a 2-0 match advantage. 

In the must-win third set, Hot Springs overcame an early 6-0 St. Regis lead to tie up the set at 13 and again at 17. The score was tied once more at 22-22 before Hot Springs reeled off three straight points to win the set 25-22 and cut the St. Regis match advantage to 2-1. 

Taking advantage of an apparent momentum shift, Hot Springs built an early, 8-2 lead before the Lady Tigers roared back and tied the set at 20-20.  The Lady Tigers iced the set win with five straight points, giving them a 25-20 set four win and clinching the match victory at 3-1. 

Lincoln won by forfeit over Alberton’s girls in another play-in match, while Noxon eliminated Victor 3-1. 

The St. Regis win sent the Lady Tigers to a first-round match versus top-seed Granite (Philipsburg), while Noxon advanced to an opening round match with number two Drummond. 

Hot Springs concluded its season with a 4-11 overall record with the loss, while St. Regis’ win lifted their season mark to 6-9.