Saints sweep Skylights in Helena

The last three matches of the Montana State University-Northern volleyball team’s Frontier Conference season are being played away from the Armory Gymnasium. And the first stop on the road trip didn’t go well for the Skylights.

On Friday night, Northern visited Helena to square off with Carroll College, and the Fighting Saints were tough hosts, as they swept the Skylights by scores of 25-20, 25-16 and 25-13. The loss was Northern’s third straight in Frontier play, dropping the Skylights to 3-7 in league play.

Northern’s best set Friday night was the first, just as it was in a four-set loss to Providence last Thursday in Havre. The Skylights hung tough, but Carroll was able to pull away late in the set. From there, the Saints, who also swept Northern last month in the Armory, dominated the match. Carroll hit a blistering .306 and had 45 kills to just 19 for MSU-N. The Saints also out-blocked the Skylights 7-2.

Cassie Krueger and Timi Severson provided the only offense for Northern, as they combined for 18 kills. Krueger also served two aces, while Severson had 10 digs. Katia Michelotti had both of Northern’s solo blocks.

Northern's tough stretch since returning from the bye week has seen the Skylights fall from fourth place to a tie for sixth with Lewis-Clark State in the Frontier Conference standing.

Now, the Skylights will finish the regular season with matches at Lewis-Clark State Thursday night and Montana Tech Saturday afternoon.

Carroll def. MSU-Northern

25-20, 25-16, 25-13

MSU-N - (kills-aces-blocks) Shania Neubauer 0-0-0; Katia Michelotti 0-0-2; Mikayla Virostek 0-0-0; Kylie Pasieka 1-1-0; Ashley Ponce 0-0-0; Timi Severson 9-1-0; Hannah Amtmann 0-0-0; Cassie Krueger 9-2-0. Totals 19-4-2.0.

CC - (kills-aces-blocks) Ayla Carpenter 0-0-0; Catherine Sloan 0-4-0; Casey Berry 0-1-0; Casey McInerney 8-0-0; Holly Morehouse 9-1-0; Jenna Starke 0-0-0; Laurel Kassa 0-0-0; Mallory Arbizzani 2-0-1; Taelyr Krantz 11-0-1; Morgan Christy 0-0-0; Brynna Stauffer 0-0-0; Brielle Bumgarner 6-0-4; Madi Quick 0-0-0; Rayna Pilgeram 9-1-3. Totals 45-7-7.0.