GREAT FALLS, Mont. – In one of the most tightly contested matches of the season, No. 3 seed Rocky Mountain pulled out a five-set win over No. 6 seed Carroll in the first round of the 2023 Frontier Conference Volleyball Tournament, presented by First Interstate Bank.

Rocky Mountain (19-11) created just enough separation for the 25-21, 23-25, 25-23, 23-25, 15-12 victory.

The Battlin’ Bears finished with a slim 71-67 advantage in kills and they hit .257 while holding Carroll (5-22) to .181 in the match. Each team posted double-digit kills in all five sets and Rocky had zero errors in the decisive fifth set.

Bella Bryan led Rocky with 18 kills while Rhiannon Nez finished with 16 kills and eight blocks. Kaitlyn Wood added 13 kills and Makenna Bushman totaled 12.

Neither team had a ton of success putting the ball away as the teams combined for 218 digs with 110 from Rocky and 108 by Carroll. Brooke Ark had a match-high 39 for the Battlin’ Bears.

Carroll got 14 kills apiece from Lexi Gleasman and Mara Lynch. Julia Carr had 35 digs.

The win advances Rocky into the semifinals where they will face No. 2 seed Providence later tonight.