GREAT FALLS, Mont. – Lady Argos volleyball won a crucial conference match, and did so in dramatic fashion, winning 3-2 (25-23, 27-29, 22-25, 25-18, 16-14) over Montana Tech. UGF relied on outstanding play from its backline and on an offense that got increasingly better as the game went on.
The first set was defined by the net defending of middle blocker Tiffany Marks, who had three blocks in the first set, and the hitting of outside hitter Madison Wilhelm with five first set kills.
Those two weapons continued to work well through most of the second set, but began to falter after taking a 23-20 lead. On the verge of taking a 2-0 lead in the match, the Argo offense sputtered and the Orediggers mounted a comeback. Despite the best efforts of senior right side hitter Kelsee Montagna, Montana Tech not only tied the set at 24-24 but eventually broke the back-and-forth stalemate to win 29-27. Montagna finished the set with six kills and just one error, but the team hit just .180 percent as a whole.
The third set saw many of the same struggles for UGF, and with the attack a little less aggressive the Orediggers offense took advantage. With a hitting percentage of .382, Tech looked to be in control of the match. Down 22-17, however, the Argos mounted a comeback of their own, with the backline covering more ground on their digs and Wilhelm regaining her form. While the rally eventually fell short, it set the tone for the rest of the match.
The fourth set was a complete shift in momentum with UGF dictating play and forcing the Orediggers into their least efficient set of the match. The Argos were excellent in their receiving with a total team effort that resulted in 27 digs. The team's hitting was also balanced with five kills coming from Marks, four from Kateri Blodgett-Baker, and three from Wilhelm. By the end of the set the UGF players looked relaxed, and confident.
The final set was anything but relaxed. A 13-10 Great Falls lead was the biggest margin of the set with most of it being played within one point. While holding that three point edge, UGF looked poised for the win, but just as they did in the second set, Montana Tech began a late charge.
This time, however, when the Orediggers managed to tie the score the Argos always seemed to turned to Wilhelm who was there for a resoundingly powerful kill. The junior added nine kills to her total in the 15-point set and finished with 28 on the night. While it was the power of Wilhelm that carried the team most of the way through set five, it was the deft touch of middle blocker Devon Bogart that ultimately won the match. The senior's tip over the Tech blockers found the floor and gave UGF its second conference win of the year.
Wilhelm's 28 kills led the team while her 20 digs were second. She also added three service aces. Libero Kennedy Chadwick finished with 23 digs, many of which came in dramatic fashion in the fourth and fifth sets and Marks added five more blocks to her season total.
The win puts Great Fall's season record to 16-7 (2-3). They will take a break from conference play for the four day Phoenix Tournament in Phoenix, Ariz on October 12 and 13. Their first match of the tournament will be against Benedictine College at 4 pm.
