HELENA -- Montana Tech senior Kennedy Oman helped the Oredigger volleyball team to a pair of pivotal victories over the weekend. Monday, Oman landed the Erck Hotels/Frontier Conference defensive player of the week award for her efforts. 

A middle blocker from Slaterville, Utah, Oman held the high-powered offenses of Dakota State and Bellevue at bay, tallying 14 blocks in the two Oredigger wins. She also contributed 11 kills and six digs to the Montana Tech cause. 

Oman began her weekend with seven kills, five blocks, and two digs in the Orediggers' four-set win over Dakota State. She followed that with nine blocks — the second-most of her collegiate career — four kills, four digs, and an assist as Tech dispatched No. 12-ranked Bellevue, also in four sets. 

Fellow Oredigger Rhys Layton joined Oman on the weekly awards slate with her third Frontier setter of the week award of the season, while MSU-Northern's Caleigh Case won the offensive honor. 

The Orediggers remain in second place in the Frontier standings with four matches to play, closing the gap to just two games with conference-leading Bellevue thanks to Saturday's win. 

Oman and the Tech team will play host to another big weekend Friday and Saturday as longtime rivals Rocky Mountain and Carroll visit Valley Bank Arena. The team will celebrate Senior Night prior to Friday's 6 p.m. match with 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.

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