BUTTE, Mont. - The Carroll College Volleyball team opened their 2024 campaign with a pair of wins over Doane (Neb.) and Life Pacific (Calif.) on the first day of the 2024 Big Sky Challenge.

New year, New Saints.

Carroll sent a clear message to the rest of the Frontier Conference on Friday afternoon, this team is ready to compete.

The Fighting Saints (2-0) handled their business very efficiently in their first on-court action of the 2024 season, making quick work of Doane in a three-set sweep before taking a four-set win in their second game of the afternoon on Friday. 

GAME ONE

There were no first game jitters for the Saints on Friday morning. Carroll jumped out on the Tigers early, and never looked back. 

The Saints blitzed the Tigers in a quick-moving three-set sweep, never allowing Doane to get in a rhythm. In dominant fashion, the Saints didn't allow more than 15 points in any of the three sets.

Carroll controlled every aspect of the stat sheet in the opener. Kills (CC-40, DU-16), Blocks (CC-7, DU-1), Assists (CC-38, DU-16), Digs (CC-70, DU-51).

As expected, Liz Heuiser (Helena, Mont. / R-JR) was a difference-maker. The middle hitter led the Saints with 11 kills while adding in three blocks. Avery Kelly (Butte, Mont. / SR) had four blocks to lead all players.

Hannah Schweikert (Columbia Falls, Mont. / R-JR) tallied 30 assists in her first contest in nearly a calendar year, while Julia Carr (Portland, Ore. / GR) did Julia Carr things, racking up 29 digs to pace the Saints.

GAME TWO

Feeling good, the Saints kept things rolling in the afternoon game against Life Pacific.

Carroll picked up right where they left off, winning the first set 25-12 after racing out to an early 11-1 advantage. Things tightened up starting in the second frame, as Carroll won 25-20, but the Warriors would avoid the sweep with a come-from-behind 25-23 win in the third set. Carroll responded, closing out the match with a 25-22 win in the fourth to keep their record clean.

Again, Carroll led in nearly every statistical category. The only exception being total assists, in which LPU led by one (LPU-44, CC-43).

Newcomer Rachael Stacey (Helena, Mont. / JR) led all players with 12 kills in the afternoon tilt. Heuiser continued her good play, adding 10 of her own to match the Warriors' Bailey Collette.

Avery Kelly again posted four blocks, but Liz Heuiser's six blocks would pace all players. Schweikert assisted on 35 points, while Carr upped her dig total from the morning match, finishing with 32 in the second game.

Carroll will look to finish their weekend with their unbeaten record intact tomorrow, wrapping up play at the Big Sky Challenge with games against Dakota State (0-2) and Bushnell (0-2).

Visit www.carrollathletics.com tomorrow evening for a full recap of the action, and to stay up to date with everything going on in Carroll Athletics.

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