Bismarck State Volleyball Falls to Carroll in Helena Sweep
Bismarck State volleyball dropped a straight-set match to Carroll (Mont.) on Thursday night in Helena, falling 3-0 by scores of 25-23, 25-18, and 26-24 at the PE Center, bscmystics.com reported. The loss locks the Mystics into the seventh seed for the upcoming Frontier Conference Tournament.
The defeat shifts Bismarck State’s record to 12-14 overall and 10-11 in Frontier Conference play. Meanwhile, Carroll improved to 18-10 overall and 13-8 in the conference, splitting the season series after the Mystics won the first meeting 3-0 back on September 25.
Set One and Set Two Breakdown in Helena
The opening set featured six ties and three lead changes. Bismarck State jumped out to an early 6-2 lead before Carroll reeled off six straight points, fueled by Birdie Heuiser’s serve. The Mystics clawed back to tie it 21-21 following kills from Ellie Baumstarck and a Carroll attack error, but the hosts held on for a 25-23 win. Bismarck State hit .163 in the frame compared to Carroll’s .195.
Carroll controlled the tempo in the second set after breaking a 6-6 tie. The Mystics struggled offensively, hitting .000 with eight kills and eight errors, allowing Carroll to pull away for a comfortable 25-18 victory.
Third Set Rally Falls Short for the Mystics
The final set saw Bismarck State battle back from a 17-11 deficit. Aubrey Flynn sparked a seven-point service run that included two aces, transforming the scoreboard into a 19-17 Mystic lead. Later, Aspen Roaldson delivered back-to-back aces to push the score to 24-21, reaching set point. However, Carroll answered with five unanswered points—closing the match on Jansyn Carrizales’ serve for a 26-24 win to complete the sweep.
Reese Duchsherer led the Mystics with 12 kills and 11 digs, securing her 15th double-double for 12.5 points. Ellie Baumstarck added nine kills on a .333 hitting percentage alongside six blocks, while Ashlee Stanger chipped in 10 kills. Aspen Roaldson ran the offense with 32 assists, and Piper Harris anchored the back row with a team-high 16 digs.
Bismarck State Secures Seventh Seed for Upcoming Tournament
With the seventh seed secured, Bismarck State improves upon its 11th-place regular season finish from a year ago. CT (5 p.m. MT) right back at the PE Center in Helena.
Their quarterfinal opponent depends on the final weekend standings. Montana Tech currently holds the number two seed, though the Mystics split their season series with the Orediggers after a five-set home victory on October 17. If Montana Tech wins one of its remaining two matches, they will face Bismarck State. Alternatively, if the Orediggers drop both contests and Dakota State (S.D.) defeats Valley City State (N.D.) on Saturday, the Trojans will take the second seed.
Before heading back to Helena for the tournament, Bismarck State wraps up the regular season on Friday, November 6, in Billings, Montana, against Rocky Mountain at 7 p.m. CT (6 p.m. MT).
Additional Team Statistics
Bismarck State hit .117 as a team with 39 kills and 23 errors on 137 total attempts. Carroll finished the match hitting .213 behind 45 kills and 18 errors on 127 attempts. Each team recorded six aces. Carroll held advantages in blocks at 9.0 to 8.0 and in digs at 65 to 61. The match featured a total of 11 ties and seven lead changes, and the loss dropped the Mystics to 2-8 on the road this season.
