Bruins bounce back, down Skylights in four sets

Box Score
Frontier Standings

HAVRE, Mont. -- The fifth-ranked Bellevue University volleyball team rebounded from a 3-0 sweep at fourth-ranked University of Providence on Friday night with a 3-1 victory over Montana State University-Northern, 25-16, 25-16, 17-25, 25-13, on Saturday evening in Frontier Conference play at Armory Gym.

With the win, Bellevue improved to 11-3 overall and 7-2 in conference action, while the Skylights slipped to 8-7 on the season and 6-3 in league play, snapping their five-match winning streak.

Eve Fountain registered her team-high sixth double-double of the season with 13 kills, 11 digs, and three service aces for a match-best 16 points. Kealy Kiviniemi hit .407 with 12 kills, while Savanna Berger added nine kills and a match-leading six blocks. Bentlee Kollbaum chipped in nine kills on .304 hitting, and A'Lailah Perry recorded seven kills and two blocks.

Mila Aiwohi (17 assists, six digs) and Victoria Runyan (15 assists) guided the offense, while libero Zoie Roghair led all players with 16 digs. Ali Butler added 13 digs and an ace. Bellevue hit .247 as a team while holding MSUN to .094 hitting.

Set 1: Bellevue 25, MSU-Northern 16
After the teams traded points early, Bellevue used a 7-1 spurt to build a 14-9 cushion. Fountain and Kiviniemi each delivered multiple kills in the run. MSUN closed within 16-12, but Berger's block and a string of Skylight errors helped BU pull away before Kollbaum and Berger teamed up on a block to end it.

Set 2: Bellevue 25, MSU-Northern 16
The second set featured two early ties, but the Bruins broke a 5-5 deadlock with an 8-2 run sparked by Berger at the net and Fountain from the service line. MSUN trimmed the gap to four at 17-13, only for BU to answer with another 6-1 burst. Kollbaum's kill and Berger's block secured the two-set lead.

Set 3: MSU-Northern 25, Bellevue 17
The most competitive set of the night featured eight ties and four lead changes. The teams were even as late as 14-14, but the Skylights took control with a 9-1 surge fueled by Uffelman and Selman. BU committed eight attack errors in the frame, and MSUN capitalized to extend the match.

Set 4: Bellevue 25, MSU-Northern 13
Fountain set the tone with back-to-back aces and a kill as BU raced out to a 5-2 start. The Bruins' defense stiffened, holding MSUN to .030 hitting while registering three blocks in the frame. Kiviniemi and Berger combined for late kills before Berger's block closed out the match.

Up Next:
The Bruins return home next Thursday, Oct. 2, when they host Valley City State University in a Frontier Conference matchup beginning at 6 p.m. in the BU Fieldhouse.