HELENA, Mont. -- Carroll College's volleyball team gets a steep task when it jumps back into conference play this weekend.

The Saints (18-11, 4-3) are headed to Billings to square off against No. 8 Rocky Mountain College (20-3, 6-0). Rocky defeated the Saints in Helena earlier this season, 3-1. 

The Saints went 2-2 most recently at the Aquinas-Cornerstone Classic in Grand Rapids, Michigan. There, the Saints mixed setters Rayna Pilgeram and Ali Williams in to varying success. 

Finding consistency against Rocky will be key.

Carroll will lean heavily on senior Brielle Bumgarner, who is No. 7 in the NAIA in total blocks (112) and No. 27 in the NAIA in blocks per game (1.1). Bumgarner also leads the Saints in kills, with a 3.2 average per game and 318 total. 

Junior outside hitter Ayla Carpenter recently was named the Frontier Conference's Defender of the Week. Carpenter leads the Saints in digs with 4.7 per set and 474 total on the season. 

The Saints will have to contend with the high-level digging and blocking of Rocky. The Battlin' Bears are ranked No. 6 in the NAIA in both categories with 19.5 digs per game and 2.6 blocks per game.

With five games left, the Saints sit in third place in the Frontier, just a game behind Providence. 

A win against the top team in the Frontier would give the Saints a chance to claim the regular season crown.

Carroll and Rocky starts at 7 p.m. on Friday.