Tigers knock off Thunder in State Championships; Rigby sweeps into semis, Bonneville pushed to brink, Rigby comes back to stay alive
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IDAHO FALLS — Day two of the IHSAA Volleyball State Championships has brought the elimination of nearly half the qualifying teams.
In 3A, West Side and Firth have both been bounced after losing their first two matches. South Fremont met the same fate in the 4A tournament, while Snake River was eliminated by Cole Valley Christian after staving off their first win-or-go home situation.
Bonneville and Pocatello are each down to their final life in 5A, as is Rigby in 6A.
Here is what happened Friday in the 5A and 6A tournaments, held at the Mountain America Center in Idaho Falls.
Idaho Falls beats Pocatello, 3-1
Following their wins Thursday, the Tigers and Thunder met in the second round Friday, and Idaho Falls earned a decisive, if not dominant, victory.
Leaning once again on sophomore outside hitter Leah Thomas and senior middle blocker Emma Vollmer, the Tigers controlled the match from the open.
Thomas contributed seven kills in the first set, and Vollmer chipped in three kills and a block, leading the way to a 25-17 first-set victory.
Pocatello, led by junior outside hitter Abby Lusk, battled for the second set but came up short, falling 25-22.
The Thunder were able to take the third set, 25-17, getting five kills from Lusk.
Idaho Falls jumped out to an early lead in the fourth set, behind a kill and a service ace from Thomas, and they never relinquished control.
With a win meaning they would advance directly to Saturday’s semifinal round, the Tigers punched the gas on Pocatello, getting two aces apiece form Thomas and senior Averi Look.
Pocatello was never able to recover from the Tiger attack, and Idaho Falls claimed the fourth set, 25-22.
Thomas finished the match with 19 kills, one block and two aces. Vollmer added seven kills and two blocks.
In a losing effort, Lusk paced the Thunder with 15 kills and one ace.
While liberos can often go unnoticed, both shined for her team team Thursday. Pocatello’s Adrie Johnson and Idaho Falls’ Grace Fuger made countless diving saves while conducting their teams’ position.
Fuger won her matchup with Johnson, though, mixing in three service aces to drive the Tigers’ second-set victory.
Twin Falls beats Bonneville, 3-1
In a match that saw the two teams combine for 19 service aces, the Bees had a difficult enough returning saves. They also struggled with the Bruin block and 6-foot-3 Ava Martin.
Martin recorded just two of her team’s six blocks, but she seemed to get a hand on nearly every Bonneville attack she challenged. She added 12 kills.
The Bees overcame an early deficit in the first set and had a chance to take the opener but were unable to finish and saw Twin Falls take it, 28-26.
The second set was not close, as Twin’s Skylar Westburg took over. The senior guided her team to a 25-13 set victory.
Bonneville turned the tides in the third behind offensive leader Shayla Belnap, taking it, 25-23.
Another tight set went the way of the Bruins, who clinched the match with a 26-24 fourth-set win.
Four different Bruins tallied at least one ace, with Millie Western’s five leading the way.
Westburg finished the match with 11 kills. Belnap led the Bees with 19 kills and one block.
Rigby knocks out Eagle, 3-2
Rigby pulled off multiple magical comebacks to survive elimination Friday.
After falling, 3-0, to Skyview Thursday, the Trojans were face to face with elimination when they were trailing 2-0 and behind late in the third set. But a late rally, which included a review that overturned what appeared at first to be a set point for Rigby, the Trojans earned an energizing 29-27 set win.
They came back again in the fourth set, taking it, 25-20, to force a decisive 15-point fifth set. And, as they had all day, Rigby gave Eagle an early advantage but refused to give in.
Eventually, the Trojans put the finishing blow on Eagle with a 15-11 set-five victory.
That reverse-sweep to advance in the playoffs vibe.
What a comeback from the @RHSTrojans , not only were they down two sets to zero, they trailed in the third, fourth and fifth sets. #idpreps pic.twitter.com/28akiZhC1a— Kalama Hines (@HINESight_2020) November 1, 2024
Madison beats Owyhee, 3-0
Madison joined the ranks of the undefeated 2-0 clubs, and will face Skyview Saturday morning for passage to the 6A finals.
The Bobcats swept the Storm aside, 25-16, 25-17, 29-27.
East Idaho Sports will be at the Mountain America Center to cover the remaining games — Bonneville-Wood River, Rigby-Owyhee and Pocatello-Lakeland.