The Montana Tech volleyball team hosts their Frontier Conference home opener tomorrow against Carroll College at 7 p.m. on Kelvin Sampson Court in the HPER Complex. The Saints are one of two home matches this week with Rocky Mountain College coming to the Mining City on Saturday. The Battlin' Bears take the court against the Orediggers on Saturday at 6 p.m. to cap off Homecoming Week presented by Nucor.

The No. 19 Orediggers (13-6, Frontier 1-0) opened the conference season at the University of Providence last week. Tech defeated last year's Frontier Conference Champions in four sets 25-15, 25-16, 22-25, 25-16. The Orediggers outhit the Argos 49-42 and finished with a .190 hitting percentage. Olivia Muir led the Orediggers at the net with 13 kills and middle blocker Taylor Henley had 12 kills and five blocks. McKenna Kaelber had 43 assists and Olivia Caddy had 22 digs.

Carroll College (9-8, Frontier 1-0) started the conference schedule with a home win over Montana Western last week. The Saints defeated the Bulldogs 3-2 after winning the first two sets and Western coming back pushing the match to fifth frame.

The Saints lead the conference in total kills (824) but are fourth in kills per set (11.61) and hitting percentage (.149). Carroll is last in blocks per set averaging 1.93. Sophomore middle hitter Elizabeth Heuiser leads the Saints in total kills (375), kills per set (3.13), and hitting percentage (.250). The 6-0 Helena native is second in the conference in all three categories. Junior libero Julia Carr is second in the conference in total digs (375) and digs per set (5.28).

The Battlin' Bears (7-10, Frontier 1-0) opened the conference season with a home win over MSU-Northern defeating the Skylights 3-1. Rocky is third in the conference in total kills (781), kills per set (11.66), and hitting percentage (.162). The Bears are fifth in total blocks (131) and blocks per set (1.96). They rank second in digs (1330) and lead the league in digs per set (19.85).

Sophomore outside hitter Makenna Bushman leads the Bears with 167 kills averaging 2.49 per set. Sophomore middle and right side Rhiannon Nez is second on the team with 153 kills and a 2.28 k/s average. Nez is third in the conference in total blocks with 88 and fourth in blocks per set averaging 1.03. Senior libero Ayla Embry leads the conference in total digs (448) and digs per set (6.69).

Senior outside hitter Maureen Jessop leads the conference in numerous categories including total kills (252), kills per set (3.82), total attacks (779), service aces (27). Jessop also has 2.58 digs per set. Jessop is ninth in the nation in total kills and 22^nd in kills per set.

The Orediggers have three athletes in the top ten in service aces including Jessop at the top. Emma Carvo is second in the Frontier with 21 and Sarah Hopcroft has 16 on the season putting her at sixth in the conference.

Senior middle blocker Taylor Henley leads the league in hitting percentage with a .260 and is tenth in kills per set with a 2.3 average. The senior from Kalispell has been a force at the net leading the conference in total blocks (1.47) and blocks per set (1.47). The Orediggers lead the Frontier in total blocks (178) and blocks per set (2.7). Tech is third in the nation in total blocks and fourth in blocks per set. Henley is second in the NAIA in total blocks and blocks per set.

Setter McKenna Kaelber has come on hot recently posting a season high 43 assists in the last match. The senior from Pasco, Washington had 33 assists against Rocky in the Frontier Conference Preseason Tournament.

Freshman libero Olivia Cady has stepped in as the defensive specialist. In the last eight matches, the Missoula native has averaged 4.96 digs per set and has a 3.12 average on the season.

The Orediggers start the home conference schedule tomorrow at 7 p.m. on Kelvin Sampson Court.