WILLISTON - St. Mary's saw its four-point lead in the pivotal fifth set evaporate against Williston, and sensing the momentum had shifted, Saints' coach Alison Podhradsky called timeout. It was just the reset SM needed. The squad came out and won the next four points and capped off a 15-10 victory in set five to earn the match win on Oct. 20 at WHS Jon Cole Gymnasium. The win snapped the Saints' five-match losing skid and split the regular season series with the Coyotes. Both teams won five-set matches on the road.

Williston won the opening set, but St. Mary's would turn things around with victories in sets two and three. Williston would find its form in set four. However, after the teams split the first six points, St. Mary's would gain the upper hand, leading 8-4. Eventually the match was tied 9-9.

The Saints received several key performances. Cloey Kraljic led St. Mary's with an impressive 17 kills and 3 blocks, showcasing her strength at the net. Teammate Sophia Schlinger was pivotal with 8 kills, 26 assists, and 22 digs, contributing significantly both offensively and defensively. Ellie Dirk also had a productive night, finishing with eight kills and 18 digs.

For Williston, Averi Austreim delivered a standout performance with 19 kills and 20 digs, while Abigale Ferlan added 13 kills, 4 blocks, and 8 digs. Alex Austreim facilitated the offense with 45 assists, keeping the match competitive throughout.

St. Mary's improved to 4-12 in the Western Dakota Association and 9-19 overall, while Williston moved to 6-10 in conference play and 7-15 overall. St. Mary's will face Dickinson (0-15 WDA, 1-26 overall) on October 27, while Williston prepares to take on Legacy (12-3 WDA, 20-8 overall) on the same date.