Box Score HELENA, Mont. - The Carroll College Volleyball team fell in their first meeting with No. 24 Montana Tech on Wednesday evening, coming up just short in a five-set battle at the CC PE Center.

A healthy crowd on hand in Helena got their money's worth on Wednesday, as the Fighting Saints (12-5, 7-3) and Orediggers (13-3, 8-2) fought back-and-forth down to the very last point of the fifth frame.

Although they fell behind quickly, the Saints would emerge victorious in the first set of the night. Almost instantly, the Saints found themselves in a 5-1 hole, and were forced to fight their way back into the match. Multiple kills from McKaila Balcom (Pasco, Wash. / SR) and a pair of Aces by Lauren Fox (Bozeman, Mont. / SO) helped Carroll knot things up at 6-6. From there neither team could find much separation. Carroll would go on to serve set point at 24-22, but a pair of kills by Tech's Halle Moomaw would send the set into extra points. A Kaylen Hay (Pocatello, Idaho / R-SO) kill and Tech error later, the Saints would close out win, 26-24.

Montana Tech would regain control of the match, taking set two 25-19 and set three 25-21. Carroll's attack, the top in the Frontier heading into the matchup, struggled in the two set losses. The Saints hit just .071 in set two, and a match-low .049 in the third as the Orediggers climbed into the lead.

Needing a win in the fourth to extend the match, Carroll responded. The Saints had an answer for every start to any potential Tech run in the early stages of the frame, eventually leading to Jansyn Carrizales (Sunnyside, Wash. / SR) at the line serving with an 18-13 lead. Following a block by Malia Allen (Great Falls, Mont. / FR) and Lauren Heuiser (Helena, Mont. / SR), Carrizales put down back-to-back aces to break things wide open. Huieser added one more ace for good measure on the final point, closing out a 25-17 win to force a deciding fifth frame.

An epic fifth frame saw extended runs from each side. The Saints began the match on a 3-0 run, while Tech answered with a 4-0 run of their own to take the lead. A pair of kills each from Birdie Heuiser (Helena, Mont. / SO) and Malia Allen would help Carroll vault back into the lead, and the Saints appeared primed to pick up the come-from-behind win. Leading 13-11, however, Carroll couldn't find an answer for Tech's Moomaw. The transfer came away with three kills over the final four points to help the Orediggers steal a win at the very end.

McKaila Balcom led the Saints with 12 kills on the evening, followed by Lauren Heuiser with 11. Heuiser was strong across the board, also posting a match-best five aces and three blocks.

Lauren Fox led Carroll with 23 assists, while Carrizales was one shy with 22. Fox added in four aces, as the Saints finished with a season-high 14 in the loss. Carrizales and Sofia Kimmel (Bozeman, Mont. / SO) combined for 37 digs.

The Saints will look to rebound on Friday night, as they host Montana Western to wrap up their first loop through the Frontier Conference regular season.