The #21 Montana Tech Orediggers finished the 2024 Big Sky Volleyball Challenge with a four-set victory (25-22, 21-25, 25-21, 25-20) versus (RV)Loyola University New Orleans. The match was the third of the weekend for the Orediggers and the only one at the Butte Civic Center with the first two taking place on Kelvin Sampson Court on the campus of Montana Tech. Montana Tech finished their opening weekend with three straight wins.

The Orediggers (3-0) trailed 16-13 in the first set before storming back to take a 20-18 lead on a service ace by freshman Brooklyn Hayes. The teams would trade points before Montana Tech would take the first set 25-22 on a kill by Kinnidi Willmore.

The second set started with the Loyola (0-3) taking a 2-1 lead and the Wolf Pack never looked back leading wire-to-wire to win the set 25-21.

Set three started where the second set left off with Loyola University jumping out to a 3-1 lead behind back-to-back kills by Preslie Boswell. The Wolf Pack would lead by as many as five points before Emmy Green served five straight points for the Orediggers, including two aces, to tie the match at 15-15. The teams would trade points until Jelena Jablanov's service ace gave the Orediggers a 23-21 lead. The Orediggers would hold serve to win set three 25-21.

Montana Tech would continue their momentum in the fourth set, jumping out to a 15-10 lead behind a strong performance by the Oredigger attackers who hit for .324% in the frame. That lead would hold with Montana Tech taking the fourth set 25-20.

The Orediggers were led by Willmore with 21 kills and Green who finished the match with three aces. Hayes finished with 19 digs to go along with Jablanov's 17, and Rhys Layton recorder a match-high 42 assists. Alexis Umland finished with seven blocks and eight kills.

Loyola University New Orleans was led by Boswell with 15 kills, Lily Clemmer-Gillum with seven blocks, and Simone Moreau who led all players with 22 digs.
Montana Tech will hit the road next week for three games in Nebraska at the Bellevue University Tournament.