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BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – It was a highly-successful Saturday for the Fighting Saints, as they bounced-back from a season-opening loss with a pair of wins to close out the ONU Tigers Kick-Off Invitational.
 
GAME ONE: Carroll 3 - Freed-Hardeman 0

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Following a disappointing three-set loss in the first match of the 2026 season yesterday morning, the Fighting Saints responded in a big way early Saturday. Carroll needed just three frames to put away Freed-Hardeman and pick up their first win of the new year.
 
The Saints blitzed the Lions right from the very first serve, racing out to a quick 11-6 lead. Four different players recorded at least two kills in the frame, and Carroll was far superior at the net. The 25-16 set win saw the Saints hit .296 as a team, all while holding FHU to just .034.
 
It was another quick start for Carroll in set two, as they grabbed an early 7-3 advantage behind several strong kills from McKaila Balcom (Pasco, Wash. / SR), Birdie Heuiser (Helena, Mont. / SO) and Lauren Heuiser (Helena, Mont. SR). The early cushion would hold throughout the frame, as the Saints never allowed the Lions to get within three points, rolling to a 25-20 win.
 
Carroll found themselves in trouble for the first time of the match early in the third set. Trailing 8-3, the Saints went on a run kick-started by a Birdie Heuiser kill and back-to-back aces from Lauren Fox (Bozeman, Mont. / SO). They took the lead for good on a Lions service error while knotted at 14-14 and cruised to another comfortable 25-16 set win to get in the Win column for the first time in '26.
 
Balcom was named the NAIA Volley Report Nautical Bowls Player of the Game, leading Carroll with 10 kills, while also adding 3.0 blocks. Birdie Heuiser matched Balcom's three blocks and added eight kills. Altogether, the Saints finished with eight aces in the match, led by Lauren Fox with four and Birdie Heuiser with three.
 
Norah Allen (Great Falls, Mont. / SR) led the team with 10 digs, and joined Jansyn Carrizales (Sunnyside, Wash. / SR) with a team-high 15 assists.

GAME TWO: Carroll 3 - (RV) Lindsey Wilson 2

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 The second game of the afternoon and the tournament finale would prove to be far more difficult that the morning bout. However, the Saints showed their mettle, buckling down for a five-set victory over (RV) Lindsey Wilson.
 
Carroll took the odd frames, while the Blue Raiders claimed the even sets.
 
The early stages of the first frame belonged solely to the Saints, who opened the match with a blistering 17-5 run. The Blue Raiders would eventually find their footing, but far too late to make any real threat as Carroll took the first 25-18.
 
After taking their first four sets of the day, the Saints finally found themselves on the wrong end of the scoreboard in the second. An 11-6 lead for the Saints quickly evaporated, as Lindsey Wilson stormed back into contention. Aided by Carroll's worst hitting frame of the match (.119), LWU rallied to take the frame 25-23.
 
The third set featured extended runs for both sides, with each team going on multiple scoring runs of three-or-more points. A pair of 5-0 runs for the Saints proved to be the difference, as Carroll edged out a tight 25-23 win.
 
Carroll began the fourth frame on a 4-0 run, but the Blue Raiders would secure five of the final six points of a back-and-forth battle to even things back up and force a deciding fifth frame.
 
Yet another quick start to propelled Carroll to victory in the fifth. The Saints grabbed all the momentum right from the first serve, blowing the frame wide open at 10-2 before closing out the match with a 15-9 win.

The Heuiser sisters were the catalysts offensively in the afternoon, as Birdie (16) and Lauren (15) combined for 31 kills. Lauren Heuiser had a monster game, leading the team with 5.0 blocks and adding in a pair of aces as well. Jansyn Carrizales tallied a season-high 24 assists, while Norah Allen led the defense with 16 digs.
 
The Saints will return to Montana with a winning record and begin a week of preparation before their next tournament – the Big Sky Challenge next weekend in Butte.