GREAT FALLS, Mont. -- Montana Western won the 2023 Frontier Conference Volleyball Tournament, presented by First Interstate Bank, on Saturday after they defeated Rocky Mountain in five sets. The title is the first for the program since the 2002 season.
"I am so incredibly proud of this team and their perseverance throughout not only this match but the entire season," Western head coach Katie Lovett said. "They have shown grit and determination in tough situations, and today was no exception. The sky is the limit for this group. I also want to thank all of the alumni who have come through this program and helped build Bulldog Volleyball into what it is today."
The No. 4 seed Bulldogs spent much of the first set chasing the No. 3 seed Battlin Bears, falling to a 23-19 deficit in the game. Despite the tough haul, the Bulldogs put together a 6-0 scoring run to win the set that featured a pair of kills from Danyel Martin and a block from Martin and Jaiden Perez.
Rocky Mountain took another big jump over the Bulldogs in the second set, outhitting UMW .132 to .045 and winning the set 25-20.
The third set showed both team's determination, with neither team taking more than a three-point lead through the entire game. The two teams battled it out in extras with Rocky taking the set 28-26.
Down 15-9 in the fourth set, the Bulldogs rallied together to behind a block from Peyton Vogl and Jordan Olson and a service ace from Jazi Smith to bring the score back within three. The Bulldogs tied the game at 18 following a kill from Perez and went on to win the set as the Bulldogs wall at the net recorded three straight blocks.
Tied at 9 in the final frame, UMW rode a 5-0 scoring run that saw a pair of kills from Vogl and an ace from Kaylee Fritz. The Bulldogs closed the game on a kill from Olson to win the final set 15-10.
Smith led the Bulldogs with 16 kills, 19 digs, and three aces. Vogl was unstoppable at the net, posting nine blocks and 15 kills. She also surpassed 500 career kills in today's matchup. Martin had 15 kills and two blocks and Fritz added 30 assists and 16 digs.
Montana Western receives the conference's automatic berth into the NAIA Women's Volleyball National Championship. They will learn the Opening Round opponent, alowng with the rest of the field, during the NAIA Selection Show on Monday at 1 p.m.