BUTTE, Mont. - #24 William Carey battled to a five-set victory over Montana State University-Northern in their opening match of the Big Sky Challenge but fell in straight sets to #21 Nelson University (Texas) in the evening match.
 
In the first set Against Montana-Northern, all five sets were needed to determine a winner. WCU took the first point in set number one with the Skylights taking the next two. From there the battle was on with MSU-Northern slowly building a 14-10 advantage. The Lady Crusaders slowed the run, battling back to within one at 15-14 only to see the Skylights answer with three straight points to push the lead back to four.
 
Carey again fought back with three straight points of their own but like before MSU-Northern answered pushing their lead back to four. WCU stayed within striking distance and with the Skylights leading 24-22 an attack error and an ace by Maurin Reyes tied the set. Both teams traded points from there until back-to-back kills by Agnes Hegardt and Sofia Bettini followed by an unforced error sealed the victory for WCU.
 
The Lady Crusaders carried that momentum into the second set, jumping out to a 10-5 advantage before going to take a 20-13 lead. However, the Skylights mounted a comeback to get within one point behind a 7-1 run.
 
Carey broke the run of four straight points with a kill by Reyes but MSU-Northern answered with three straight points to take their first lead of the set at 23-22. In a moment of déjà vu, the Lady Crusaders closed the set with three straight points of their own with a kill from Natalie Bartholomew clinching the set.
 
MSU-Northern jumped out quickly in set three, opening with five straight points. Carey regained their footing and answered with a 6-1 run to tie things up. The Skylights retook the lead with back-to-back to points before going on to build a 19-11 lead. Just like earlier in the set, WCU fought their way back to within one, using a 12-4 run to make it 24-23 MSU-Northern. However, the Skylights ended the rally with a kill from Lexi Jones to take the set and stay alive.
 
Set four started like the second set with WCU taking an early 7-4 lead. Just like all the other sets though, MSU-Northern rallied behind five straight points to take the lead. Again, both teams went back and forth with both looking for the spark they needed. With Carey leading 16-15, the Skylights found that spark in the form of a 5-0 run to pull away for good and force the deciding fifth set.
 
The Lady Crusaders went unphased heading into the final set, opening on a 7-1 run and never looked back, going on to take the set 15-8.
 
Against the Lions, Carey got off to a rough start, finding themselves looking at an early 8-1 deficit. From there it was all Nelson, as they pulled away to a 19-8 advantage before taking the set 25-18. Set two started the same as the first, as the Lions took an early 10-4 lead. WCU halted the run with four straight points to cut the deficit to two.
 
Nelson answered, stretching their lead to 13-8, but Carey again cut the lead to two with back-to-back kills by Bartholomew and Reyes and an attack error. However, the Lions took control behind a 5-0 run to take a 18-11 lead. The Lady Crusaders responded with a 6-2 run to cut the deficit to just three but again Nelson countered, closing the set on a 5-3 run to take a 2-0 lead.
 
Nelson again took the lead to start the third, but unlike the previous sets, Carey answered quickly with a 5-0 run to take an 8-5 lead. From there WCU maintained a slim lead, eventually holding a 20-16 lead. The Lions though, kept pressing the attack, erasing the deficit with a 4-0 run to tie the set and would finish it off with a 5-1 run to seal the victory.
 
WCU returns to the court tomorrow, as they take on Eastern Oregon at 12:00 pm and Montana Tech at 7:00 pm.