UP Sports Information 

Butte, Mont. - Arunas Duda knew the competition at the Big Sky Volleyball Challenge over the weekend would be a good test for his Providence squad to start the season. After suffering three straight losses to start the weekend, the Argos came out against Vanguard (Calif.) Saturday looking to see the continued improvement that was evident through those losses. But consistency and momentum were not on the side of Providence as the Argos fell in straight sets, 25-17, 25-18, 25-23 to drop to 0-4 overall.  

Vanguard came out hot to start both of the first two sets before the Argos settled in a little more in the third, thanks in large part to the play of Ryann Eddins. The freshman from Bozeman started playing well late in the second set and continued to spark the Argos from the left side knocking down 6 total kills and was solid on defense with two solo blocks as well. Duda says Eddins really stepped-up Saturday, "She jumps well, she's been playing well in practice, so we wanted to give her that opportunity, because we don't know what's going to work for us yet. But I was pleased overall because it's going to be a process, as long as in that process we continue to improve and get better." 

Eddins also added a service ace and an assisted block. Zoe Naugle continued her nice start to the season picking up seven kills and three blocks. Taylor DeVries got the start at setter and tallied 14 helpers and four digs. Senior Adysen Burns led the team with nine digs.  

One big positive of the weekend is that the Argos now have actual game film as opposed to practice film to base what is working and what is not. Duda, like every coach in every sport knows that it is better to learn with, "I just told the girls that we are adding a film session Monday afternoon. We have that advantage to spend a couple of hours to try and see things and correct it. A lot of times they hear what we are saying, but when you can see it and see how you're moving it's a lot easier to correct. That is going to be extremely beneficial especially with so much youth on the team." 

Providence (0-4) would have liked to have picked up wins but as Duda explains, getting ready for the Frontier Conference schedule is what this team is preparing for, "It's trust the process. That's what we have been preaching all along. We want to continue to see that positive growth and as long as we see that, then we are headed in the right direction. We aren't pleased with the result today, but we saw a lot more fight, a lot more grit, team chemistry, and joy on the court." 

The Argos open the home portion of the schedule this weekend hosting the Electric City Invite which begins Thursday at the McLaughlin Center.