It’s not about how you start, but how you finish.

Glacier had both going its way in a Western AA volleyball playoff victory over Butte, but the third and fourth sets left the Wolfpack with work to do in the 5-set victory at the Wolf Den Wednesday evening. 

“I don’t know why we have to go to five with Butte every single time,” Glacier coach Jaimie Nelson said. “I am proud of my girls, there were a couple moments where they could have just let it slip away, but they decided to fight instead.” 

After splitting the first four sets, Glacier commanded the fifth set to take the victory and secure its spot at the State AA Volleyball tournament in Bozeman Nov. 12-14. 

Allie Krueger opened the final set with a kill after the Pack scrambled to get the ball over the net earlier in the rally. 

Then, Glacier added four kills split between Krueger and Kyla Gully to go up 6-0.  

Butte earned two points on long serves from Glacier, but the Wolfpack had an instant answer each time. Madi Stevens served up back-to-back aces to help Glacier lead 14-2. 

Cadence Graham sparked a little life into the Bulldogs with four straight points, but Glacier closed out the match with a 15-6 win in the fifth set. 

Nelson said this may have been the most dominant set she has seen this team play. 

“I don’t remember one off the top of my head,” Nelson said. “I think that was pretty much them saying, ‘We are here to go and do what we have to do to get to our goal.’ “ 

The start was just what Glacier was looking for also as the Pack sparked a run off of a Stevens ace to go up 16-13 and take set one 25-19. 

That momentum continued into set two where Glacier jumped out to a quick 9-2 lead after Audrey Mitchell served an ace. Butte closed to 14-9 later in the set but got no closer as the Wolfpack took set two 25-17. 

Set three is where Butte found its footing. 

The Pack led 11-7 in the set when Elli Graham stepped up to serve. She guided the Bulldogs to 11 straight points and an 18-12 lead. They continued the run to win the set 25-14 and force set four. 

Glacier had more early momentum in the fourth set, but again Butte had a rally. Stevens put Glacier up 15-8, then the Bulldogs scored four of the next five points. 

Butte eventually tied the set at 19 and then used a Cadence Graham kill to take a 22-21 lead. 

Glacier wasn’t done though as they battled back from 24-21 down to extend the set thanks to a kill from Krueger. 

The teams went back and forth before Butte sealed the win 30-28 with a kill from Avery Barsness tie the match at two and set up the deciding set. 

“I felt like we could have done it a little cleaner and taken advantage where we could have,” Nelson said. “But to take the momentum into the fifth with them and close it out, I was proud of that.” 

Glacier moves to 11-8 on the season with the win. Butte finishes the year 8-12. 

Butte’s statistics were not made available. 

Glacier def. Butte 25-19, 25-17, 14-25, 28-30, 15-6

Aces — Glacier 10 (Madi Stevens 3, Audrey Mitchell 3). Kills — Glacier 67 (Allie Krueger 20, Kyla Gully 16). Assists — Glacier 53 (Stevens 51, Addison Thramer 2). Blocks — Glacier 7 (Chloe Farrell 4). Digs — Glacier 85 (Thramer 22, Aria Stewart 19).