Lady Diggers Get Momentum

Jason Silvernale

Lacey Phelan and Katie Daly Go Up for a Block

This past weekend, Tech fans got to see a Lady Oredigger squad play like they began the season – winning. Ninth ranked Lewis and Clark of Lewiston, Idaho, and Westminster of Utah, came to town expecting easy conference victories, having swept Montana Tech in previous meetings. However, Lewis and Clark were forced into a fifth set tiebreaker match which has only happened three times this season for the nationally contending team. Although Tech dropped the fifth set, they knew they had the ability to win it. This confidence led into Saturdays match against Westminster where the Lady Orediggers went on to win in a very convincing fashion.


Katie Daly notched 16 kills out of an impressive 46 swings against the Warriors of Lewiston. Daly then contributed to three consecutive stuff blocks at the net late in the fourth game to force the Warriors into the decisive fifth game. Lacey Phelan pumped back 13 kill shots, followed by Cassie Hodges and Shersteen Cline with 10 and 8 kills respectively.
The Kelvin Sampson Court saw three Lady Orediggers run the offense against the Warriors. Jesse Bowden led the night with 21 assists followed by Kiara Ross with 14 and Kendra Lyons with 5. Phelan, Hodges, and Cline were all in double digits for digs on the night.
Allyse Cruise, Kristin King, and Katie Petteys all dropped in a service ace on the night.
Montana Tech proceeded then to beat Westminster in four games with the final game ending 28-26 from a hard kill from Cline on the outside. Stats for the victory over the Griffins are unavailable.
After the two conference battles, the Lady Diggers are 5-6 in Frontier Conference play and 12-12 overall. Their final homegame and senior recognition is November 4th when the winless Western Bulldogs come to town.
Lewis-Clark State def.
Montana Tech 23-25, 25-21, 25-15, 20-25, 15-7
Kills - L-C St. 62 (Deddiy Alaimaleata 17, Nicole Graybeal 13, Lauryn Herrick 13, Kelli Tikker 12, Jenika Bird Jeppson 3, Demi Dlouhy 3, Katie Hinrichs 1), Tech 54 (Katie Daly 16, Lacey Phelan 13, Cassie Hodges 10, Shersteen Cline 8, Kiara Ross 2, Emily Matosich 2, Jesse Bowden 1, Kendra Lyons 1, Emilee Hashley 1). Aces - L-C St. 6 (Graybeal 3, Alyssa Wold 2, Hinrichs 1), Tech 3 (Allyse Cruise 1, Kirstin King 1, Katie Petteys 1). Assists - L-C St. 56 (Kim Fong 28, Wold 19, Dlouhy 4, Kelli Tikker 2, Alaimaleata 2, Graybeal 1), Tech 45 (Bowden 21, Ross 14, Lyons 5, Phelan 4, Cruise 1). Digs - L-C St. 76 (Hinrichs 19, Kaylee Rector 16, Fong 9, Wold 11, Tikker 8, Alaimaleata 5, Jeppson 2, Dlouhy 2, Graybeal 2, Herrick 2), Tech 73 (Phelan 14, Hodges 11, Cline 10, Savanna Lester 8, Bowden 7, Daly 6, Ross 5, Cruise 5, Lyons 3, Hashley 3, Petteys 1). Blocks - L-C St. 6 (Alaimaleata 2, Dlouhy 2, Tikker 1, Hinrichs 1), Tech 8 (Daly 4, Hashley 2, Lyons 1, Cline 1, Hodges 1).