BISMARCK, N.D. — The Carroll College Volleyball team dropped a hard-fought three-set match at Bismarck State on Friday evening, falling in the final match of their marathon week in North Dakota.
The Fighting Saints (12-4, 7-2) battled into the middle and late stages of all three frames but couldn't quite finish off the Mystics (6-7, 4-4), who used timely runs at the end of each set to close the door.
Carroll never led in the opening set, with the Mystics opening with a 4-0 run and building their largest lead of the frame at 10-2. The Saints answered with four straight points to get back to 6-10, and later trimmed a seven-point deficit down to four with another three-point run, but BSC would go on to close out the opening set, 25-19, as Carroll hit a match-low .086.
Set two was the tightest of the match, featuring 15 separate ties and six lead changes. Carroll's largest lead was two points at 13-11, but they couldn't find a way to create any further separation. Tied at 19-19, the Mystics reeled off five straight to go up 24-19. The Saints answered with three points, highlighted by a kill by McKaila Balcom (Pasco, Wash. / SR) pull within two, but Bismarck State finished things off, 25-22.
Playing their fourth match in the last five days, Carroll never held a lead in the third set. However, the Saints battled out of an early hole to knot things up at 13-13 midway through the frame. Bismarck State broke away with a 6-0 run to take a 19-13 edge and put the pressure on. Carroll answered with a six-point run of its own featuring three Lauren Heuiser (Helena, Mont. / SR) kills and another pair from Balcom to cut the defecit to 21-22, but the Mystics closed out the match by taking three of the final four points.
Carroll finished with a .167 hitting percentage against Bismarck State's .239 clip, and the Mystics also held the edge at the line with six aces to Carroll's two.
Kaylen Hay (Pocatello, Idaho / R-SO) led all Carroll hitters with 10 kills, while Lauren Heuiser added seven and Birdie Heuiser (Helena, Mont. / SO) chipped in six. Sofia Kimmel (Bozeman, Mont. / SO) and Norah Allen (Great Falls, Mont. / SR) each posted team-high 11 digs, while Jansyn Carrizales (Sunnyside, Wash. / SR) and Lauren Fox (Bozeman, Mont. / SO) split setting duties, combining for 32 assists
The Saints will finally get to return to Helena following a long week on the road. Waiting for them is rivalry week, as they host Montana Tech and Montana Western on Wednesday and Friday.
Be sure to visit www.carrollathletics.com for a preview of those Homecoming week matches, and for complete coverage of the Fighting Saints all season long.
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