BUTTE, Mont. – The Carroll College Volleyball team wrapped up play at the 2024 Big Sky Challenge on Saturday, splitting a pair of games with Dakota Wesleyan and Bushnell.
Carroll will walk away from their opening weekend with a sense of accomplishment, finishing 3-1 after a pair of games on Saturday. The Fighting Saints out-dueled Dakota Wesleyan in the morning, before falling to Bushnell in their final match of the tournament.
GAME ONE
After cruising to a pair of early set wins, the Fighting Saints found themselves in a series of extra-point battles before finally closing out Dakota Wesleyan in a five-set thriller to start the morning.
For the third straight game, Carroll led all major statistical categories, but more importantly, led at the end.
The Saints made quick work of the Tigers in the opening two frames (25-17, 25-24), but Dakota Wesleyan would not go down quietly.
A marathon third set went the Tigers' way, 30-28, and they managed to follow the set win up with a 38-26 win in the fourth frame, forcing a deciding fifth set.
Carroll found themselves trailing late in the final frame, but scored four of the game's final six points to remain unbeaten.
Both Heuiser sisters (Liz Hueiser / Helena, Mont. / R-JR,
Lauren Heuiser / Helena, Mont. / SO) combined for 29 kills in the match (Liz – 16, Lauren – 13). Liz also recorded a highly impressive 10 blocks to lead all players.
Julia Carr (Portland, Ore. / GR) tallied 51 total digs to lead all players, while
Hannah Schweikert (Columbia Falls, Mont. / R-JR) finished with 46 assists, 27 digs, and 4 blocks.
Dakota Wesleyan's Abigail Brunsing finished with a game-high 19 kills.
GAME TWO:
Carroll never found much of a rhythm in the second game of the day, falling in straight sets to Bushnell.
The Beacons were led by Hailey Heider's 16 kill effort, winning the three-set match, 25-18, 25-22, 25-15).
Carroll struggled on the attack in the afternoon game, hitting just .090 as a team.
Three Saints,
Lauren Heuiser,
Rachael Stacey (Helena, Mont. / JR) and
McKaila Balcom (Pasco, Wash. / SO) each finished with six kills to lead the team.
Julia Carr finished with 24 digs, while
Jansyn Carrizales (Sunnyside, Wash. / SO) tallied 17 assists in the loss.
Up next, the Saints will head west to Lewiston, Idaho for the Hells Canyon Grand Invitational this coming Thursday and Friday where they will take on a pair of Cascade Collegiate Conference teams in Walla Walla and Lewis-Clark State.
Visit
www.carrollathletics.com for a preview of that event, and to stay up to date with everything going on in Carroll Athletics.
FOLLOW THE FIGHTING SAINTS
Facebook: @carrollcollegeathletics
Instagram: @cc_saints
X: @CCsaints
#MarchOn
