No. 7 BU Earns Four-Set Road Win at Montana Western

Box Score
Frontier Standings

DILLON, Mont. -- The seventh-ranked Bellevue University volleyball team earned a four-set road victory Wednesday evening, defeating the University of Montana Western 3-1 (25-13, 25-13, 23-25, 25-20) inside Straugh Gymnasium.

With the win, Bellevue improved to 19-3 overall and 15-2 in Frontier Conference play, while UMW dropped to 10-14, 8-9 in league action.

Kealy Kiviniemi led the Bruins with her first double-double of the season, recording 11 kills, 10 digs, and six total blocks. Eve Fountain delivered another complete performance with nine kills, 15 digs, and five service aces, while Bentlee Kollbaum and Sophia McIntyre each contributed nine kills and three blocks. Savanna Berger added seven kills and five blocks as BU controlled the net with a 13.0–6.0 blocking advantage.

Bellevue's setting trio of Mila Aiwohi, Victoria Runyan, and Jada Nunn combined for 43 assists, guiding the offense to a .220 hitting percentage. Zoie Roghair anchored the defense with a match-high 18 digs, helping the Bruins out-dig the Bulldogs 73–64.

For UMW, Olivia Rosborough led the Bulldogs with nine kills and three blocks, followed by Averi Look's seven kills and four blocks. Taylor Ketchum paced the defense with 11 digs.

Set 1 | Bellevue 25, Montana Western 13

Bellevue came out firing, racing to an early 8–1 lead behind a pair of aces from Fountain and a balanced offensive attack that saw five different players record kills. The Bruins' block immediately set the tone, limiting the Bulldogs to –.143 hitting in the frame. McIntyre tallied three kills late in the set, and Kollbaum's final swing capped a dominant 25–13 opening win.

Set 2 | Bellevue 25, Montana Western 13

The Bruins' efficiency continued in the second set as they hit .385 with 12 kills and four service aces. Kiviniemi and Kollbaum each notched three kills, while Runyan's service run in the middle stages stretched the margin to double digits. Bellevue's defense again frustrated the Bulldogs, forcing eight attack errors to take a 2–0 lead into intermission.

Set 3 | Montana Western 25, Bellevue 23

UMW found life in the third, capitalizing on Bellevue's seven attack errors to claim its lone set of the match. The frame featured 10 ties and one lead change, with Look and Rosborough combining for eight kills to keep the Bulldogs in front down the stretch. Kiviniemi tallied four kills for BU, but a late service error gave UMW the 25–23 decision.

Set 4 | Bellevue 25, Montana Western 20

Bellevue regrouped quickly in the fourth, overcoming a 17–12 deficit by closing the match on a 13–3 run. Kiviniemi sparked the rally with three kills and a block, while Berger and McIntyre added key points at the net. McIntyre sealed the win with back-to-back kills as BU wrapped up its ninth straight victory — all in conference play.

Up Next

The Bruins close their Montana road swing Thursday (Oct. 23) with an 8 p.m. (CT) matchup at Montana Tech University in Butte, Mont.