Lindsey Branch, UMW Sports Information Photo Tessa McNeil
DILLON, Mont. – The no. 17 ranked Montana Western Women's Volleyball team (15-6, 5-3) earned a 3-0 sweep tonight over the no. 19 ranked Montana Tech Orediggers by scores of 25-17, 25-21, and 25-17.
Tonight's win marks the first home win over the Orediggers since the 2011 season when the Bulldogs pulled out a 3-2 win over Montana Tech.
Jazi Smith broke her second record of the season when she broke the Montana Western career kills record in the match. The record was previously held by Emily Erickson from 2011-14 at 932. Smith has a career total of 943 kills and counting.
How It Happened
Western was the first to jump out in the opening set, riding a 5-0 run to take a 10-7 lead. Montana Tech battled back and tied the set at 15 apiece, but the Bulldogs wasted little time and pushed out to a 21-15 lead behind the serve of Smith and backed by consecutive blocks from Jordan Olson and Danyel Martin. The Bulldogs would win the set 25-17.
Western was once again on the march, this time with the help from a pair of aces from Taylor Petersen. Up 18-8, the Orediggers found their own momentum and took a 10-1 scoring run to close the gap to just one point. The Bulldogs utilized kills from Olson and Peyton Vogl to close out the set up 25-21.
With all of the momentum riding into the third frame, Western was poised to finish the set on top behind 11 kills and just two hitting errors in the set. They would close the 3-0 sweep on top 25-17.
Notables
Tonight's sweep was the fourth sweep the Bulldogs have pulled out over the Bulldogs since the 2022 season.
Smith led the Bulldogs in the win with 11 kills and 16 digs.
Martin was a big help at the net, recording seven blocks at the net while also adding four kills.
Olson followed with six blocks in the game, adding to the team's total of 12 blocks in the game.
Kaylee Fritz and Petersen combined for 31 assists in the three-set game, good for 10.3 assists per set combined.
Up Next
Montana Western will be back in the Straugh Gymnasium on Oct. 19 to face the no. 13 ranked University of Providence. The Argos enter the set as the top ranked team in the Frontier Conference with an 18-4 record this season.
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