HELENA, Mont. – The Carroll College women's volleyball team rebounded from two losses yesterday with convincing wins over Hope International (Calif.) and Corban College (Ore.) to close out the Big Sky Challenge volleyball tournament, Saturday.
 
The Saints (3-2) topped Hope (0-5) 25-16, 25-16, 25-18 early in the afternoon and battled Corban (2-3) to a 25-23, 25-27, 25-15, 25-19 win in the final game of the day.
 
In game one, Crystal Schmidt led the Saints with 11 kills on 18 attacks and freshman Emily Sullivan had 10 kills on 22 attacks.  Jonni Dorr tallied a match-high 21 assists for Carroll.
 
In the nightcap, Paige Montgomery had 17 kills and Schmidt tallied 13 for the Saints. Dorr again led Carroll with 32 assists, her play today was a big reason the Saints captured the two matches.
 
"Jonni Dorr runs a great offense," head coach Moe Boyle said. "There is a lot to be said for our hitters but she is the heatbeat. Rayna Pilgeram is also, as Carson Cunningham might say, really ameliorating the offense, they are going to be a great combination moving forward."
 
Another key in the second match was Marija Nicksic and Holly Morehouse. Nicksic tallied a match-high 3.5 kills slowing down the Corban attack.
 
"Marija and Holly deserve Kudos for their blocking tonight," Boyle said. "Corban has a pair of solid hitters and they certainly didn't get what they could have without the work those two did on the right side."
 
The Saints looked much more relaxed Saturday, Boyle believes that ishad much to do with the respect that this team shows to each other.
 
"The core of this team has made the young players and incoming freshmen feel very comfortable," Boyle said. "We are still working through a number of rotations to find the combinations that will work for us. The calmness has really helped us work through the roller coaster of a new season."
 
The Saints now hit the road for two consecutive weekends of tournaments, traveling first to play at the Master's Tournament in Santa Clarita, Calif. Over Labor Day weekend before traveling to Hastings, Neb., to the Five Points Bank Invitational Sept. 11-12.
 
Carroll returns home for the conference opener on Sept. 17 against the University of Great Falls.