The Carroll College volleyball team walked away with a pair of wins during the first day of the Pepsi Classic at MSU-Northern in Havre Friday.

The Saints easily defeated Canadian squad Briar Crest 25-9, 25-23, 25-13, before rallying to beat Northern 17-25, 25-19, 25-11, 25-23 in the evening.

“I think that we passed pretty well today, and we ran our offense as good as we have this year,” said Saints head coach Moe Boyle. “The setters made great choices.”

Junior Christina Smetana led the squad with 11 kills against Briar Crest and finished with each of the team’s six blocks. Carroll was able to jump on them easy with 10 aces, four of them from Maureen Frauenholtz.

After dropping their first set in the second match, the Saints turned to their defense, which picked up 17 blocks and got a spark from Shannon Flynn on the floor.

“I was really proud of the way they came back in that second set against Northern,” Boyle said. “Our blocking came alive and that was pretty fun.”

Smetana finished with six blocks, while Sammi Priddy and Mary Mahoney both finished with five. Mahoney was filling in for Haylee Otteson, who sat out because of shin splints, at the middle-hitter spot.

Priddy led the squad with 14, Kristin Telin added 12 and Kayla Hughes 9.

The Saints play Lethbridge College today, which will determine if they play in the bronze or gold medal match later.

Briar Crest

25-9, 25-23, 25-13

Digs 33 — Maureen Frauenholtz 10, Sammi Priddy 8

Assists 28 — Katie St. John 14, Caitlin Tocci 10

Aces 10 — Maureen Frauenholtz 4

Blocks 6 — Christina Smetana 6

Kills 33 — Smetana 11

MSU-Northern

17-25, 25-19, 25-11, 25-23

Digs 51 — Maureen Frauenholtz 18, Priddy 10

Assists 44 — Katie St. John 22, Caitlin Tocci 16

Aces 8 — Frauenholtz 4

Blocks 17 — Smetana 6, Priddy 5, Mary Mahoney 5

Kills 48 — Priddy 14, Kristin Telin 12, Kayla Hughes 9