Volleyball moves one step closer to Frontier title

November 06, 2009

By JEFF WINDMUELLER Independent Record

Check off one goal for the Carroll College volleyball team. Now, on to the other.

Behind a killer performance by senior Christina Smetana and the excellent defense of Maureen Frauenholtz and Sammy Priddy, the No. 19 Saints defeated Westminster College on the road, 25-22, 25-19, 22-25, 23-25, 15-13, to clinch at least a share of the Frontier Conference regular season title Thursday night.

"It hasn't happened in my five years," said Saints head coach Moe Boyle. "So I know this is the first for our group of seniors."

With the Carroll cross-country team cheering in their corner, the Saints held on in the fifth game as Smetana rolled to an incredible 28 kills, nearly twice Westminster leader Ericka Evans' 16, in the match.

"Maybe five of (Smetana's points) were tips, the other 20 or 23 were the way she swings," Boyle said.

Sophomore Caitlin Tocci set her up and collected a team-high 35 assists, but Boyle said she was most impressed with Frauenholtz and Priddy, who recorded 33 and 30 digs, respectively.

After performing well, but not exactly blowing Westminster out of the water the first two games, the Saints suddenly fell stagnant in the third.

"We've done this here a number of times," Boyle said.

Often the team would get up by two, then drop the final three, or vice versa, she said. But on Thursday, the Saints finally put the game away.

All it took was a little hometown help from the Saints harriers, who are in Salt Lake for the Frontier Conference cross-country championships taking place today.

"We weren't necessarily hitting .300 or anything, but maintaining the lead the first two games," Boyle said. "In the third game we went point for point for point.

"There just wasn't energy being generated on our side."

When the two teams switched sides, the cross-country runners moved with their volleyball team, giving the Saints a boost.

"They kept cheering, and I think that's the energy we brought to the floor," Boyle said. "I really believe that is going to help us get a win Saturday or next week.

"The experience we got tonight, as long and drawn out as it had to be, is really going to help us in the end."

The Saints (25-7 overall, 11-2 conference) have one more regular season game at defending Frontier Conference champion Lewis-Clark State in Lewiston, Idaho, on Saturday before returning to the Warriors' home court for the Frontier tournament one week later. If they win Saturday, the Saints will hold an outright championship over closely trailing LCSC (19-7, 10-3) and the University of Great Falls (14-10, 9-3). Westminster, meanwhile, falls to 9-18, 6-7.

"It's very exciting," Boyle said. "I know that it's a big step in the right direction. We've been stepping in that direction the last two years, and this is one big step up."

Boyle said it was all thanks to the four seniors on floor: Smetana, Mary Mahoney, Ashley Lupfer and Katie St. John.

"I personally owe a lot to those four girls and what they've done for the program," she said. "That's why we're at where we're at."

Jeff Windmueller: 447-4065 or

 

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