Spartans Drop Opening Match To Mavericks

In a hard-fought match, North Country edged Scobey, 25-20, 25-17, 23-25, 25-21, at the District 3C volleyball tournament in Scobey on Thursday.

The Mavericks jumped out to a 14-4 lead in the first set. With the margin at 16-7, the Spartans fought back with three kills by Chloe Handran.

After North Country moved ahead 18-10 on a kill by 5-10 junior Gracie Wasson, Scobey scored on a kill and ace by Handran to cut the gap to 18-12.

The strong net play of Emery Rouse and an ace by Halle Cromwell pulled the Spartans to 22-18, but the Mavericks scored on a kill by Emerson Downing and went on to win by a 25-20 margin. After the net play of Wasson led North Country to a 17-9 margin in the second set, kills by Handran and Rouse got the Spartans as close as 19-15.

The Mavericks tallied the next four points until Rouse scored another kill. North Country accounted for the final point of the set on a spike by Wasson.

Kills by Ava Stentoft, Rouse and Handran put Scobey ahead by a 12-6 margin in the third set.

North Country pulled to 15-9, but Scobey answered with two more kills by Rouse. After the Mavericks cut the gap to 19-15, Scobey struck for the next three points on a kill by Stentoft, a tip by Handran and an ace by Rouse. A tip by Handran was successful for a 23-16 lead.

North Country battled back to 24-23 on kills by Wasson and an ace by Brynlie Boreson, but the Spartans earned the set’s final point on a kill by Handran.

In the fourth set, the Spartans stayed close on kills by Handran and Rouse. A kill by Halle Cromwell pulled Scobey to 11-10.

The Spartans received kills by Cromwell and Rouse down the stretch, but North Country took the game by a 25-21 final.