HELENA, Mont. – The Carroll College volleyball team opens the season on the road when it travels west to face four Cascade Conference teams, in three days, along the I5 corridor.
 
The Saints open the trip Wednesday at against Northwest University at 7:30 p.m. in Kirkland, Washington, before facing Evergreen State in Olympia Thursday at 5 p.m. Carroll closes the road trip with a pair of games Friday, opening with Warner Pacific on their home court at 1 p.m. before playing Corban at 3:30 in a neutral site game.
 
The Saints are the reigning Frontier Conference Co-Champions and return three seniors, two second-team all-conference players and both starting setters. Head coach Moe Boyle would like a few more practices to get everything together but is confident with her senior leadership.
 
"I feel like if we had a few more days I would be comfortable with the start but at the same time we have a lot of returners that have a lot of experience," Boyle said. "We expect the upperclassmen step up and pick up where we left off so we can get a good start to the season."
 
Carroll opens with a Northwest team that ended with a 20-10 record including a 14-6 Cascade Conference record. The Eagles fell in the Cascade Conference semifinal a year ago but bring a veteran-laden squad with five seniors and five juniors.
 
The Saints next play Evergreen State, the Geoducks closed out 2015 with a 5-20 record are unlike Northwest, they are inexperienced with a dozen freshmen and sophomores on the roster.
 
Friday the Saints play back-to-back matches against Warner Pacific at 1 p.m. and Corban at 3:30 p.m. on the court at Warner.
 
The Knights finished 2015 with an 11-15 record and have a roster with eight juniors and seniors.
 
The Saints played Corban a year ago and walked away with 3-1 victory. Corban ended the season with a 14-13 record. The Warriors have just one senior on the roster but 10 juniors, including three junior college transfers and another transfer from Montana State.
 
"I really don't know much about any of the teams we play," Boyle said. "`We played Corban last season but I think they are much different team than last year and we don't play them until our last match on Friday. The Cascade Conference is a pretty tough conference. On any given day any team can beat anybody so we prepare for every match like it is the most important match."
 
The Saints play just one match in their first 16 at home, many people would find that to be a brutal start for a team but Boyle looks at it as a positive.
 
"A lot of coaches hate to start the season on the road but I'm not one of those coaches," Boyle said. "When you are away from the distractions and you put yourself in an uncomfortable situation and see how the girls respond. They have to focus on the next game. I think it is a good thing and we are looking forward to it."
 
Regardless of whether the games are on the road or at home, the Saints will lean on the leadership of their three seniors to help the younger players grow into their positions early in the season.
 
"Our three seniors have played together for eight years and they are doing a great job taking the young girls under their wings," Boyle said. "Our chemistry is solid right now and now it is really a matter of keeping everyone together and I feel like those seniors have done a really good job."
 
Live stats for Wednesday's match are available here.