HELENA -- The No. 19-ranked Montana Tech volleyball team dropped a 25-20, 25-21, 26-24 road match at rival Carroll College Thursday evening. 

Kinnidi Willmore had a team-best 10 kills for the Orediggers (9-5, 5-3 Frontier Conference), while Abby Clark contributed eight kills and two blocks. Setters Ellie Reinertson and Rhys Layton combined for 36 assists. 

Despite hitting just .027 in the opening set, Montana Tech was right there midway through. The Orediggers stormed back from an early deficit to tie the set at 16. The Saints opened a narrow lead, forcing a Tech timeout at 20-18. Carroll finished the set with three straight points for the early lead. 

After Carroll took the second, Montana Tech found itself down again early in the third. But a 7-2 Orediggers run got the visitors back into the set with a 12-11 lead. The two teams battled until Tech's Talan Dodson ripped off three straight kills for a 24-22 advantage. The Saints won the final four points, however, to seal the match. 

McKaila Balcom led Carroll (10-6, 5-3) with 13 kills. 

Montana Tech continues Frontier Conference play on the road Saturday with a 2 p.m. match at Rocky Mountain.

Visit Montana Tech athletics' home online, GoDiggers.com, anytime for up-to-the-minute news and coverage of the Orediggers. Give Montana Tech athletics a like on Facebook, and follow the Orediggers on X and Instagram at @DiggerAthletics.

###