It was a mixed bag of matches for the Hot Springs Lady Savage Heat volleyballers, who won two matches and lost one this past week. 

And the one loss, 3-1 at Valley Christian, was a hard-fought battle that could have gone either way. 

The Heat opened their week this past Tuesday with a home match versus the Flathead Valley Home School group from the Kalispell area and won 3-1.  The Heat then traveled to Missoula where they dropped a 3-1 decision to the Lady Eagles of Valley Christian. 

Hot Springs wrapped up a busy week with a 3-0 sweep of winless Two Eagle River in Hot Springs this past Friday night. 

Against FVHS, Hot Springs grabbed an early 5-1 lead then fought off several minor charges by the home schoolers on their way to a 25-16 first set win and a 1-0 match lead. 

The second set was similar to the first set, but it was Flathead that pulled away from an early 8-4 lead and built it to 24-11 before winning the set 25-11.  That tied the match at one set each. 

Set three was a back-and-forth contest with numerous ties and lead changes throughout. The set was tied seven times in the back side of the set, including 25-25. 

Hot Springs was able to win the set, 27-25, on a kill shot.  That set up a fourth set with the Heat leading 2-1. 

In set number four, Hot Springs jumped ahead 7-1 then maintained at least a five point lead the rest of the way en route to a 25-14 win that secured the 3-1 match victory. 

Next up was the trip to Missoula to face always tough Valley Christian.  The hosts took a 25-9 first set win, then grew that match lead to 2-0 with a 25-10 win in set number two. 

However, as has often been the case this year for the Lady Heat, they showed they were not giving up and roared back to take a 25-22 win in the third set, cutting the Eagles’ lead to 2-1. 

The fourth and deciding set was up for grabs until the end, when Valley Christian scored two straight points to break a 23-23 tie and clinch the 3-1 match win. 

With a 1-1 match record under their belts, the Lady Heat were looking to secure a winning record for the week when they hosted winless Two Eagle River to Hot Springs this past Friday night. 

The first set was a relatively hard-fought affair, with Hot Springs holding on for a 25-16 first set win.  From there on, TER was outplayed, dropping set number two 25-5, then falling 25-8 in the match clinching third set. 

The two wins lifted Hot Springs record for the season to 3-7. 

Next on the schedule for the Lady Heat are three games, beginning this Tuesday (Oct 1) with a trip to St. Ignatius to take on Mission High.  Two days later, they journey to Alberton for a match with the Lady Panthers (Oct 3).  They close out the week with a home match versus rival Noxon, Saturday (Oct 5).