HELENA, Mont. — The Carroll Volleyball team dropped a three-set match to No. 7 Bellevue on Saturday night inside the Carroll College PE Center, falling 25-20, 25-15, 25-20.
The Saints (13-10, 8-7) battled closely in the opening set, which featured seven ties and three lead changes. After Carroll grabbed an early 8-6 edge following kills from McKaila Balcom (Pasco, Wash. / JR) and Birdie Heuiser (Helena, Mont. / FR), Bellevue used a 7-1 run capped by a pair of kills from Kealy Kiviniemi and Eve Fountain to build a 13-10 advantage. The Saints stayed within striking distance at 18-14 and again at 23-19 after a late Balcom finish, but the Bruins closed it out 25-20 on Kiviniemi's fifth kill of the frame.
Bellevue controlled the second set from start to finish, opening with a 3-0 burst and stretching the margin to 11-6 midway through. The Bruins put together a 9-3 spurt that included two service aces from Fountain and three kills by Bentlee Kollbaum to pull away 25-15 and take a two-set lead.
Carroll responded early in the third, using a 4-0 run to erase a 7-3 deficit and even the score at 7-7 on a block by Taysa Conger (Merino, Colo. / SR). The Saints later pulled ahead 15-13 after consecutive Bellevue errors and a Conger kill, but the Bruins answered with a 5-1 surge to regain control. An ace by Molly O'Connor (Bozeman, Mont. / SR) brought Carroll within 21-19 late, before Bellevue secured the sweep with four of the final five points to close the set 25-20.
Sidney Gulick (Kalispell, Mont. / SR) led all Saints with nine kills in the match, followed by Conger and Balcom with eight kills each.
Lauren Fox (Bozeman, Mont. / FR) had a team-high 13 assists, while Sofia Kimmel (Bozeman, Mont. / FR) added 11 digs
Fountain totaled nine kills, eight digs, and four aces to lead the Bruins. Kiviniemi and Kollbaum each added nine kills, and setter Mila Aiwohi finished with 22 assists.
Monday night, the Saints will take on their second ranked opponent in as many matches, hosting No. 24 Dakota State in a critical late season matchup at 6 p.m.
Visit www.carrollathletics.com that 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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