BUTTE, Mont. – The Corban University volleyball team battled all the way to the end in a pair of thrilling five-set matches on day two of the Big Sky Classic, but ultimately the Warriors ended up on the wrong side of the results, finishing with a pair of tough defeats against Carroll College (Mont.) and Montana Tech.
"I am very proud of the way the team battled today," said Corban head coach Kim McLain. "We fell short in both matches but have gained so much from this weekend."
A week after defeating Carroll College in its 2016 season-opener, the Warriors fell behind by two sets (21-25, 24-26) to the Fighting Saints in Saturday's opener, leaving themselves a hole to climb out of. And Corban did just that, winning the third set 25-19 and the fourth set 25-21, setting up a dramatic fifth stanza.
Despite seemingly having the momentum on their side, the Warriors were unable to complete the comeback, losing 15-11 in the fifth and final set.
Sophomore setter Madison McLain neared her career-best mark with 58 total assists in the match, while junior middle blocker Alaina Gentili registered a team-best 22 kills on an outstanding .559 hitting percentage. In addition, junior outside hitter Amber Parker recorded 16 kills, while freshman Lauren Condon chipped in 10. Junior libero Haley Wells led the way defensively with 15 digs.
In the second match of the day, Corban came from a set down twice to force a fifth set, only to see it end in a tough 15-13 score-line in Montana Tech's favor, resulting in the victory for the home squad.
The Warriors showed resiliency throughout the tournament, and in particular during both of Saturday's five-set matches, never backing down despite have many things not go their way. Condon was the defensive standout for the Navy and Gold with 15 digs against Montana Tech, while Parker notched a team-best 20 kills and Condon totaled 14 kills. McLain once again served as the team's primary setter, recording 48 assists.
Corban (4-2) returns to action next weekend when it plays in its home-opener on Friday evening vs. Southern Oregon University. The match will be the first Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) contest for both squads. First serve is set for 7 p.m.
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