Northern spikers finish the regular season at Tech, Carroll

It's going to be a busy weekend away from home for several Montana University-Northern sports teams. That's because, right now, almost every sport Northern offers is competing.

While winter sports are just beginning, Northern's fall sports are winding down, and that includes the Skylight's volleyball season. This weekend marks the end of the Frontier Conference' regular season, and Northern will close out league play at Montana Tech tonight in Butte, followed by a visit to Carroll College Saturday afternoon in Helena.

Tonight's match pits the Skylights (11-9, 3-5), who lost both their matches last weekend, against the Orediggers, who are alone in first place in the Frontier standings, and are ranked in the NAIA Coaches Poll. Tech also swept Northern in the Armory Gymnasium back on Oct. 8. And the road trip doesn't get any easier for the Skylights as they visit Carroll Saturday afternoon. Northern beat the Fighting Saints 3-2 back on Oct. 7 in Havre and the two teams are locked in a close battle for third place in the Frontier, with Carroll sitting one game ahead of Northern heading into the final weekend.

Of course, everybody is fighting for seeding this weekend, as the Frontier Conference tournament will be played next Friday-Saturday in Butte. The Frontier champion moves on to the NAIA national tournament. The Skylights march to the postseason starts with a match at Tech tonight at 7. Northern concludes the regular season Saturday against Carroll at 2 p.m.

Speaking of Frontier championships, the Northern cross country teams will be vying for those today in Helena as the conference hosts its Frontier Conference Championships at the Bill Roberts Golf Course. The top men's and women's teams move on to the NAIA national championships later this month in Florida, while at-large individual spots in the fields will also be on the line in Helena. MSU-N's Field Soosloff has earned a trip to nationals in each of the last two seasons.

And while fall sports are reaching their dramatic conclusion, the MSU-Northern wrestling team is just getting started. After a successful home debut last Friday night, the Lights will wrestle in their first tournament of the new season when they travel to the Trapper Open Saturday in Powell, Wyoming. Northern will have a roster full of competitors this weekend, before the Lights get back to dual action with round one against Providence next Wednesday in Great Falls.