Ponies geared up for a big final two matches

The Havre High volleyball team's regular season is almost ending and the Blue Ponies are ready to finish it on a good note.

Havre, which doesn't have to leave home for the remainder of the season, will face two familiar opponents in their last games of the regular season, the Sidney Eagles Saturday and the Lewistown Golden Eagles Monday, both in the Havre High Gymnasium. The Ponies have played the two teams once already and it is time for rematches.

First up to step on the court is Sidney. HHS head coach Tamecia Jarvis is ready to see her team improve on the court against the Eagles.

"We need to make sure we're playing Blue Pony volleyball," said Jarvis. "In the (rematch against Miles City), we had way too many dropped balls and that can't continue into our next match, so we got to make sure we're doing the little things so we come out on top."

Rematches are always a different experience for both teams. Each have improved on their game and look to put it to the test in the next match. After all, in the rematch against Miles City, Havre had more struggles against the Cowgirls compared to the first meeting. Anything can happen.

On top of that, the match against Sidney is a conference game. Not only will the rematch be a different experience, but a heated one, as well. Havre will aim to ground the Eagles once more to keep ahead in the Northeast A.

Last time the Blue Ponies played Sidney, HHS swept the Eagles 3-0, with set scores of 25-17, 25-14 and 25-15. Havre put up some great numbers in the match, too. Offensively, the Ponies put up 12 aces, 34 kills and 23 assists. Defensively, the club racked up six blocks and 33 digs. Safe to say, Havre played Blue Pony volleyball against the Eagles in their first match.

After the match with the Eagles, Havre will play another set of Eagles Monday, and there will be something very special about the match, as it is senior night for the Blue Pony spikers. A conference rematch and senior night is certainly the formula to get the club excited to get on the court.

The 2019 Havre volleyball senior class this season consists of outside hitter/defensive specialist Sam Oliver, setter/DS Peyton Brown, middle Cassidy Acor, middle Jessa Chvilicek, DS/right-side hitter Kinsey Adkins and OH/DS Katelyn Maloughney.

Jarvis is proud of how far her senior class has come and is ready to see them go to work for their last two games of the regular season.

"I've coached these girls since they were in eighth grade and some of them in sixth or seventh grade," said Jarvis. "This is a great class and a great group of girls. There's a lot to be said about them. They're hard-working and they're definitely going to be missed."

Monday's match is one nobody will want to miss, as it will be an exciting rematch of two teams ready to face off and give it their all on the court.

The last time Lewistown and Havre met, the Ponies pulled away with the win 3-1, with set scores of 26-28, 25-18, 25-15 and 25-12. After a rough first set, the Ponies got to work and kept the Golden Eagles at bay. This time, Havre will look to stay consistent and improve on its last performance.

Jarvis is looking for her club to play their best game to finish off the regular season.

"I think it's going to be a good match," Jarvis said. "They have some really big hitters on their team and they're pretty scrappy, so it could go either way."

Lewistown proved to be a good challenge for Havre. The Golden Eagles offense put up six aces, 29 kills and 29 assists. Defensively, Lewistown had 2 blocks and 60 digs. Not only do the Golden Eagles' have some great hitters, but also they have some powerful defensive gameplay, as well.

Lewistown's Libbey Jenness was a dual-threat player in the first match against Havre, putting up three aces and 16 digs. Jenness will be a player to look out for in the rematch.

But the Ponies put up a good performance, too. Chvilicek was a standout in the match, racking up 4 aces, 15 kills and 5½ blocks. Overall, Havre put up 22 aces, 50 kills, 49 assists, 11 blocks and 5 digs.

It will be a big rematch to close the regular season for the Blue Ponies and with a win against the Golden Eagles, Havre will be in a good lead in the Northeast A. The conference lead is in the Ponies' sights and all they have to do is take it.

"We need to make sure we're communicating as a team and play together," said Jarvis. "We just don't need to dig ourselves into a hole and we have to make sure we're playing on top the whole time."

Havre takes on the Sidney Eagles Saturday at 1 p.m. then the Ponies hit the home-court again against the Lewistown Golden Eagles Monday at 4 with both matches taking place in the Havre High Gymnasium. Havre is also the host site of the 2019 Eastern A Divisional, which runs Nov. 8-10.