Women's Volleyball | 08/20/21 | 9:41 AM

HELENA, Mont. – August is coming to an end and that means it's time for fall sports at Carroll College. The Carroll volleyball team opens up their season this weekend at the Big Sky Volleyball Challenge in Butte.
 
Expectations are high this year for the Saints as they return a very talented core from a team that finished third in the Frontier Conference last spring. 
 
On the front line, Taelyr Krantz and Lexi Mikkelsen lead the way. Last season, both were all-conference and all-region selections and Krantz received honorable mention All-American honors. Joining them will be the likes of Madde Boles and Lexie Gleasman.
 
Defensively, Julia Carr returns as the libero and Mara Lynch will provide a great presence on the back line. Katherine McEuen is another anchor for the Saints defensively, as she will play all around the court for the third straight season.
 
Kylie Kackman will provide leadership and assists as the setter.
 
The Saints will also see large contributions from freshman middle hitter Elizabeth Heuiser and freshman setter Hannah Schweikert. Both Montana products, they are set to step in and make a major impact right away.
 
The Saints will play four games this weekend in Butte. On Friday they will play  Bellevue (Neb.) at 1 p.m. and Dickinson State at 7 p.m. On Saturday, they will turn around and face off with Northwest at 9 a.m. and Grand View (Iowa) at 1 p.m.
 
This weekend is the first of five pre-season tournaments before Frontier Conference play starts in late September.
 
The combination of playing numerous top-25 teams and only playing five regular season games at home creates a less than desirable schedule, but head coach Moe Boyle and her team are up for the challenge.
 
Check out this weekend's action at the Big Sky Volleyball Challenge HERE.