VALLEY CITY, N.D. – The Valley City State University volleyball team opened its home schedule with a pair of Frontier Conference matches Friday and Saturday inside Graichen Gymnasium.
The Vikings pushed Montana Western to five sets Friday before falling 20-25, 23-25, 29-27, 25-21 and 15-12. VCSU then dropped Saturday's match against receiving-votes Montana Tech in straight sets, 25-18, 25-22 and 25-10.
VCSU is now 3-7 overall and 1-2 in conference play.
MONTANA WESTERN 3, VCSU 2
The Vikings opened the weekend by taking the first two sets against Montana Western. VCSU used a late push to secure a 25-20 victory in the opening frame and then held off the Bulldogs for a 25-23 win in Set 2.
Montana Western extended the match by surviving a back-and-forth third set, 29-27. The Bulldogs then forced a decisive fifth set with a 25-21 victory in the fourth.
The teams traded points early in the final frame before Montana Western created separation with a 6-1 run to build a 10-5 advantage. VCSU battled back and pulled within two points at 14-12 following a Montana Western service error and a kill by freshman Madysen Geist. The Bulldogs answered on the next rally to close out the 15-12 victory.
Geist led the Viking attack with 15 kills and a .276 hitting percentage while adding three block assists. Kadie Kocka followed with 14 kills, and Eden Carrier recorded eight kills on a .353 hitting percentage.
Madden Bogenreif finished with 26 assists, 13 digs and three service aces to record a double-double. Gracie Schumacher added 16 assists, while Molly Bjorneby led the Viking defense with 15 digs. Annika Pulju collected 12 digs, and Hudson Zerface added 10.
MONTANA TECH 3, VCSU 0
Montana Tech carried a strong offensive performance into Saturday's match, hitting .402 as a team in the three-set victory.
VCSU stayed within striking distance for much of the opening set before the Orediggers pulled away for a 25-18 win. The Vikings then battled through nine ties in Set 2 and were within one point at 23-22 late in the frame. Montana Tech scored the final two points to take the set, 25-22, before completing the sweep with a 25-10 victory in Set 3.
Kocka led VCSU with nine kills and eight digs while hitting .238. Geist added seven kills, and Brynn Sorenson finished with six kills. Carrier recorded four kills without an attacking error, finishing with a .500 hitting percentage.
Bogenreif totaled 16 assists, four digs and two service aces. Schumacher added nine assists and four digs, while Pulju led the Viking defense with 10 digs.
VCSU continues Frontier Conference play on the road next weekend. The Vikings visit Montana State University-Northern at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, in Havre before facing No. 7 University of Providence at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, in Great Falls.
