BUTTE, Mont. – Cornerstone not only battled two of the top 15 teams in the country on the first day of the 2022 season, but battled the west coast time zone with nearly a seven-hour gap between their two games. Despite a tough battle in both contests, CU would fall in both sides of today's season opening double-header at the Montana Tech Tournament, losing to the host (13) Diggers 3-0 before falling to (2) Jamestown 3-1. The Golden Eagles drop to 0-2 on the year but have a quick turnaround for a chance at redemption, as they close out the tournament vs. Rocky Mountain and Bushnell at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. EST. 

Game One Recap: (13) Montana Tech – 3 (RV) Cornerstone – (25-14, 25-23, 27-25) 

• Cornerstone took on the host Montana Tech in their first game of the year and got off to a bit of a jittery start, using their first timeout trailing 10-2 after a few over passes were put away for kills. 
• The outside hitting of Rylie Walters kept the deficit at seven with a pair of kills, but the Diggers later increased their edge to 17-7 to force CU to use their second timeout. 
• After the timeout, Cornerstone scored three straight capped off by a kill from Kathryn Detweiler to bring the deficit back to 17-10. 
• The Golden Eagles were unable to make a comeback in set one, falling 25-14. 
• The Diggers started the second set with another quick run scoring the first four points. 
• CU started to find their rhythm later in the set as Kylie Barron recorded a block as part of a run to bring the Golden Eagles within three and force a Digger timeout. 
• After the Montana Tech timeout, they scored three straight points to go up 18-12 and force Cornerstone back into their first timeout. 
• CU battled back in set two tying it at 23 on a block from Kaylee Dykema and Aubrey Lenz that capped off a 10-1 run.
• Montana Tech scored the final two points of the set however to win set two 25-23. 
• Cornerstone took their first lead of the match, 3-2 in set three on a Kaylee Dykema kill. 
• The two teams continued to trade the lead as Rylie Walters put CU back on top 10-9 later in the third. 
• A CU attack error put Montana Tech up three at 21-18. 
• Trailing 22-19, Cornerstone went on a 5-0 run highlighted by a pair of Olivia Keelean kills to earn two set points.
• The Golden Eagles could not finish it out though, as the Diggers scored five of the last six points with some scrappy play to earn the sweep with a 27-25 set three victory. 

 
Game Two Recap: (2) Jamestown – 3 (RV) Cornerstone – 1 (21-25, 25-21, 25-16, 25-17)

• After a near three-hour delay in game two due to games going on before them, Cornerstone finally took on Jamestown inside the Maroon Activities Center with the match starting at roughly 9:35 p.m. EST. 
• CU got off to a strong start, going on top 4-1 in set one on a dump from Aubrey Lenz. 
• The Jimmies took their first lead at 13-12 on a service ace from the libero Ellie Holen. 
• Olivia Keelean recorded a service ace to give CU the lead right back at 15-14. After a Jamestown attack error that increased the Golden Eagle lead to two, the Jimmies used a timeout. 
• Cornerstone did not let up after the timeout adding to their run, as a big block from Rylie Walters and Kylie Barron helped CU keep things going with the lead increasing to 21-14.  
• The Jimmies battled back, but it was too-little-too-late as Olivia Keelan recorded the set clinching kill, 25-21. 
• In set two, Aubrey Lenz again recorded a dump kill to go on top 3-2 frustrating the Jamestown coaching staff and forcing a very early timeout. 
• The defense of Patsy Morris kept CU close throughout some long rallies in set two, but the Jimmies responded well out of their early timeout to take command, 14-8. 
• The Jimmies maintained a five-point edge much of the set, but the serve of Rylie Walters helped Cornerstone cut the deficit to two at 23-21. A service error ended the run however and Jamestown went on to take set two, 25-21.  
• Jamestown took a 7-4 lead early in set three on a kill from the off-hand of Lexi Olson.
• After falling behind 17-10 in set three, Jada Thomas was subbed in for the first time this season looking to help spark a comeback.
• The Golden Eagles did not have an answer for the Jamestown attack, falling 25-16 in set three.  
• The two teams traded points early in set four with Olivia Keelean recording a kill to tie things at five. 
• Kylie Barron later recorded a solo block that tied the set yet again at 10. 
• Jamestown started to pull away, scoring three straight points to lead 15-12. 
• Cornerstone struggled with the serve down the stretch trying to find an answer with Kylie Andras coming in and serving. CU was unable to however, falling 25-17 to drop the match 3-1.  

 
By the Numbers:
7 – Despite two of the three sets being very close in the first match vs. Montana Tech, Cornerstone only held the lead for seven points all in set three. 
13 – Rylie Walters led the team with 13 kills in game one at MTU. 
8 – Kaylee Dykema led the way with eight blocks in the two games, recording five in game one 
33 – Patsy Morris recorded 33 digs on the day with 20 against Jamestown. 
15 – The serve was not kind to Cornerstone in game two with 15 service errors against the Jimmies. 
 
Volleyball Contact: Jesse Campbell 
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