BUTTE, Mont. – The Diggers won a pair of matches on the second day of the Big Sky Volleyball Challenge. Tech took down Dickinson State University 3-0 to start the day off and ended the day with a sweep of Hope International University improving to 3-0 at the tournament and 6-1 overall.
 
Match one: Tech 3, Dickinson State 0
The Diggers cruised to the 3-0 (25-12, 25-17, 25-11) victory over Dickinson State to kickoff day two of the Big Sky Volleyball Challenge. Tech had 36 kills on 72 attempts for a hit percentage of .347. The Diggers limited the Blue Hawks to a hitting percentage of just .024.
 
Tech was led by Sydney Norris and Jordan Danz who had nine kills apiece. Setter Makenzie Bauck contributed with a match-high 27 assists while freshman Kylee Berridge had five of Tech's 15 service aces.
 
Tech jumped to an early 10-4 lead in the first set via a kill by Norris from Bauck. The Diggers continued to pour it on throughout the sent as their lead escaladed to eight (19-11) off of a kill by Bailie Cortner late in the set. Freshman Hannah Liss subbed in to serve and led a 6-1 Montana Tech run to seal the win.
 
In set number two, Dickinson went up 7-4 early on. That was short lived as the Diggers used a 6-0 run highlighted by three service aces by Angie Pancost to take the 10-7 lead. Tech's offense continued to flourish as its lead ballooned to 10 (20-10). The Blue Hawks made a late push to pull within seven, however Danz's spike from Bauck gave the Diggers the victory.
 
It was all Montana Tech in the third set. The Blue Hawks scored first via a Tech attack error but that would be the only lead DSU would have. Freshman Kylee Berridge strong serving led to 10 Montana Tech points. Berridge led Tech to score the final five points including the match winner which was a service ace.

Match two: Tech 3, Hope International 0 
Tech took down Hope International in straight sets (25-13, 25-12, 25-18) Friday night to closeout day tow of the Big Sky Volleyball Challenge. The Diggers connected on 33 kills with a hit percentage of .300 while committing just nine errors. Tech defense played outstanding forcing 28 Royal errors and limiting HIU to a hit percentage of -.057. The Digger defense also had 13 total blocks in the match.
 
Jordan Danz led all hitters with 10 kills and Bailie Cortner hit .462 on the night for eight kills along five blocks (three solo, four assisted). Makenzie Bauck chipped in with a match-high 29 assists.
 
Conley Kipp had eight kills and three digs for Hope.
 
Tech came out striking in the first set taking a commanding 11-1 lead. HIU chipped at Tech's lead to pull within seven at 14-7, but Tech's offense was too much as it used an 11-6 run to close out the first set highlighted by back-to-back service aces by Hannah Liss.
 
The Diggers stayed hot in the second set jumping to a 10-4 lead via a kill by Sydney Norris. The Diggers, who never trailed in the stanza, continued to pour it on the Royals as their lead went to 12 (22-10) late in the set. Tech's defense was just too much for HIU as the Diggers forced an attack error to win set number two.
 
The third set was a match of runs. Montana Tech started the set on a 6-0 run however HIU went on a run of their own to pull within two (11-9). Tech went up by six (15-9) off of a Hope error, however that was short lived as a series of HIU runs chipped Tech's lead down to at 19-17. Strong serving by Liss allowed the Diggers to break away from HIU as Haley Druyvestein and Norris closed out the match with a block.
 
Montana Tech returns to the court on Saturday for the third and final day of the Big Sky Volleyball Challenge. Tech will host College of Idaho at 11:00 a.m. and (RV) The Master's College at 7:00 p.m.
 
Notes: Tech's five-match win-streak is its longest since the 2013 season (8).