GREAT FALLS -- Despite double-digit kills from Talan Dodson and Kinnidi Willmore, the Montana Tech volleyball team closed the regular season with a 28-26, 25-13, 25-22 loss at No. 1-ranked Providence Saturday afternoon. 

Dodson put down a team-best 11 kills for the Orediggers (16-12, 12-10 Frontier Conference), while Willmore spiked 10. 

Things started well for the Orediggers. Tech rushed out to a 4-0 run and forced a UP timeout. The visiting team extended the lead to 7-2 before the nation's top team began to close the gap. Providence (28-2, 21-1) clawed back to tie the set at 12-12 before Tech rattled off another run, forcing another Argos timeout at 16-13. 

UP fought back again, however, tying the match at 17. The teams traded blows until Tech faced set-point at 24-23. Piper Jette and Dodson spiked back-to-back kills to put the Orediggers a point away, but UP then rallied for three straight points to win the first. 

In the second, Providence's defense held the Orediggers to just a .030 hitting percentage to win the set. 

The Argos jumped out to a lead in the third, too, but Tech made a late run facing match point. Tech won three straight points to cut it to 24-22 before UP finished the sweep. 

Brooklynn Hayes made 18 digs and five assists for the Orediggers, while Ellie Reinertson doled out a team-best 16 assists. 

Montana Tech will head to Helena Thursday for the Frontier Conference tournament at Carroll College. The time and opponent are yet to be announced. 

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