Playing some of their best volleyball of the season, the Lady Hawks swept to two impressive Western B net wins last week, topping Deer Lodge 25-20, 25-16, 22-25, 25-23 in Thompson Falls Thursday and getting the best of Mission 16-25, 25-21, 25-18, 25-19 in Mission Saturday.

Rolling on with the regular season, coach Sandra Kazmierczak and her Lady Hawks host Sanders County rival Plains Tuesday and Darby Saturday this week.

Kazmierczak was happy with how her Hawks performed last week, particularly in the fourth set against Deer Lodge Thursday. The Hawks fell way behind early in that set and still trailed 22-11 before rallying behind the serving of Addy Deal and Audrey Fairbank.

First Deal served up nine consecutive winning points to draw the Hawks within two at 22-20 before Fairbank, starting her service turn with Deer Lodge still leading 23-20, served up the final five points of the set and match, hitting an ace for the set point and match winner.

“That was a great comeback and everyone contributed,” Kazmierczak said. “Audrey hit the match winner but everyone really stepped up and played well in that match. It’s good to play through scenarios like that, good match experience for us to get and to go through together.”

No one played better than Deal as the senior team captain and returning All-State B player pounded down 22 kills and stuff blocked five Lady Warden kill shot attempts to lead Thompson Falls to the win, in addition to hitting seven digs.

Still-improving first-year senior Aubrey Baxter added 12 kills, four blocks and five digs, Jasmin Risch five kills, five digs and three service aces, and Marley Robinson four kills and five digs.

In addition to her serving heroics at the end of the match, Fairbank hit 30 set assists in directing the Lady Hawk attack, besides hitting a pair of kills and three aces.

After a slow start in Mission, the Hawks soon found their mojo and moved to another four-set win.

Deal was all over the Lady Bulldogs at the net for 25 kills and six stuff blocks, also digging up 16 Mission kill attempts, Baxter added four kills, another 16 digs and five service aces and Risch seven kills, 20 digs and an ace.

Robinson hit four kills and 16 digs, Makarlie Stein a kill and 10 digs and Fairbank orchestrated the Hawk offense with 35 set assists, besides hitting four kills and nine digs.

    BLOCKING IT – Lady Hawk senior Aubrey Baxter blocks a Deer Lodge shot as Audrey Fairbank follows the play in Thompson Falls Thursday. (John Hamilton/vp-mi)
  

    MAKING THE PLAY, Thompson Falls freshman Cami Preston is about to hit a shot in action against Deer Lodge in Thompson Falls Thursday. (John Hamilton/vp-mi)