BUTTE — The Montana Tech volleyball team lost its first match of the season on Thursday.
Eve Fountain delivered a match-high 15 kills and Taylan Keefer had 18 digs as No. 17 Bellevue (Nebraska) swept past the Orediggers 26-24, 25-20, 25-16 on the first day of the Big Sky Volleyball Challenge at the Butte Civic Center. It was Bellevue's season opener.
Bellevue had a kill percentage of .323 to Tech's .160.
Tech's (4-1) offense was led by 11 kills from Karina Mickelson and seven from Olivia Labeau while Maureen Jessop and Taylor Henley each had six.
Sarah Hopcroft had 10 digs for the Orediggers and McKenna Kaelber and Mickelson each had a solo block. Kaelber had a team-high 22 assists.
Tech will play two more matches at the Big Sky Volleyball Challenge on Saturday, facing Dickinson State at 9 a.m. and Northwest University at 3 p.m.
