SIOUX CITY, Iowa – No. 24 Montana Tech left everything on the court at the NAIA Volleyball National Tournament taking No. 5 Midland University (Neb.) to extra points in the fifth set. The Orediggers came up just short of upsetting the Warriors with a final score of 25-15, 25-17, 21-25, 22-25, 20-18.

The Orediggers (25-11) finish the season with 25 victories for the first time since 2003 and first national tournament appearance since 1988.

Montana Tech started slow with just 15 kills and 14 hitting errors in the first two frames. The Orediggers turned it around in the third with 17 kills and hitting 0.245 and leading the entire set.

Both squads battled head-to-head in the fourth set as neither school gave up a lead until the final points. Montana Tech scored the final two points on a kill by Nicole
Peacock and a block from Peacock and Katie Wiley to send the match to the fifth set.

The Orediggers nudged ahead 8-5 in the fifth before switching sides. The Warriors battled back to a 12-12 tie and the teams continued to trade points. Midland prevailed in the end.

Both teams were aggressive at the net, but Midland had 33 blocks to 24 from Tech. The Warriors also posted a 0.154 hitting percentage to 0.097 from the Orediggers.

Jordan Danz and Nicole Peacock had 13 kills each. Peacock had six blocks.

Priscilla O'Dowd posted 24 kills and a 0.373 hitting percentage for the Warriors. O'Dowd also had eight blocks.

Gena McMillan had 12 kills and three blocks.

Sabrina Hopcrot had 22 digs.

Bailie Cortner had five kills in the match and finishes her career with 1,015 kills.