The Lady Hawks are cooking, delivering some delicious volleyball to their faithful fans, like the two tasty wins they served up late last week, a 25-23, 21-25, 25-10, 24-26, 16-14 victory over Sanders County rival Plains in Plains Friday, and a 23-25, 25-22, 25-17, 25-16 conquest of visiting Anaconda in Thompson Falls Saturday.

Warming up for those net banquets, the Lady Hawks went to Kalispell and fell to a very good Stillwater Christian team 25-11, 25-11, 26-24 Sept. 15.

After returning only one full-time starter from last year’s District 7B unofficial championship team (there was no district tournament), the Lady Hawks looked to be in a rebuilding mode this fall. But this year’s crop of players has obviously dispelled that notion and look intent on making another run at 7B honors for their own sakes.

Coach Sandra Kazmierczak wants to see her team playing in tight matches so they know how to react in those situations as they arise.

“You can’t really teach mental toughness, kids need to go through situations to learn how to deal with them,” she said. “I really like to get these five-set matches so we can learn how to get through it. It’s great experience to get, especially early in the season.”

The match with Plains was a perfect example of what Kazmierczak is talking about. The Hawks appeared on their way to a quick win after sweeping the third game 25-10, but the Trotters battled back to make things interesting in the end, winning the fourth 26-24 to force a deciding fifth game. The Trotters in fact, held the service on match point in that fifth game before the Hawks responded and came back to snatch the win away from Plains.

“That was good, it forced the girls to deal with what they had to do,” Kazmierczak said, “we learned from it and ended up winning the match.”

Addy Deal led the Lady Hawks with an impressive stat line of 17 kills, six stuff blocks and 19 digs, Aubrey Baxter added 10 digs, Jasmin Risch a team-high seven aces and Marley Robinson three kills.

Setter Audrey Fairbank directed the Lady Hawk action at the net, dishing out 23 set assists, besides hitting 15 digs and five service aces.

The Lady Hawks enjoyed one of their finest hours of the young season Saturday in blasting past Anaconda in three straight games at TFHS after dropping the first one 25-23.

“I was impressed with how solid we played,” Kazmierczak said. “We played really consistent, clean volleyball, and I can’t ask for any more than that.”

Displaying that All-State B form yet again, Deal led the way for the Hawks with 20 kills, six more stuff blocks and 19 digs, Baxter bashed seven kills and Robinson three, Risch ripped five service aces and bumped up 16 digs, Robinson added 16 digs and three kills, and Fairbank made the kills happen with 25 set assists.

“Anaconda is a good team, has gone to state the last two years with many of these players,” Kazmierczak said. “That was a very good match, a confidence builder for us going forward.”

Kazmierczak said the Hawks were caught by surprise, and by Stillwater’s quick-set attack, in Kalispell Sept. 15 and never could fully recover after falling quickly in the first two games.

Deal had another fine match however, collecting 13 digs, six kills and four aces to lead the Hawks, Baxter added seven digs and Fairbank nine assists.