BUTTE, Mont. - Montana Tech defeated Dickinson State in three sets Saturday afternoon as the Blue Hawks closed their Frontier Conference road weekend at Valley Bank Arena. Dickinson State fell to 2-10 overall and 1-4 in conference play.
The Orediggers won 25-16, 25-14, 25-21 to improve to 10-1 overall and 5-0 in the Frontier. The Blue Hawks finished with 36 kills and hit .218 for the match, improving from 11 kills in the opening set to 17 in the third.
Carmen Pallone led Dickinson State with 11 kills on 21 attacks, hitting .381 while adding three blocks. Macie Wheeler finished with seven kills and one error on 10 attempts for a .600 hitting percentage. Aubrey Allison also recorded seven kills.
Rylee Kogolshak directed the offense with 28 assists and added 10 digs and four kills. Allison led the Blue Hawks with 14 digs, while Paige Rose added 11. Dickinson State finished with 44 digs and four total blocks.
The Blue Hawks produced their strongest offensive set in the third, recording 17 kills with four errors on 33 attempts to hit .394. Dickinson State trailed 14-10 before scoring five of the next six points, with three consecutive Pallone kills tying the set at 15. Montana Tech moved back in front, but the Blue Hawks remained within two at 21-19 before the Orediggers closed out the 25-21 win.
Montana Tech finished with 47 kills and hit .324 for the match while recording seven service aces. Dickinson State went 0-2 on its Montana road trip after falling in five sets at Montana Western on Friday.
The Blue Hawks return to Scott Gymnasium for two Frontier Conference matches next weekend. Dickinson State hosts Montana State University-Northern at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, before facing No. 7 Providence at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19.
