DILLON, Mont. — The Mayville State volleyball team opened strong but couldn't sustain its momentum Friday night, falling to Montana Western in four sets (25–21, 17–25, 13–25, 16–25) at Straugh Gymnasium in Dillon, Montana. The loss marked a tough setback for the Comets, who continue to show flashes of potential but are still searching for consistency in Frontier Conference play.

Mayville State came out firing in the opening set, attacking with energy and precision to grab an early advantage. The Comets executed efficiently on offense, hitting .300 in the first frame while holding the Bulldogs to a lower clip. Behind steady play from Desidy Schwanke and Andrea Majchrzak, Mayville built late-set momentum to close out a 25–21 win and take the early 1–0 lead.

But the Bulldogs responded in the second set, adjusting defensively and finding their rhythm at the net. Mayville struggled to maintain its early offensive flow, committing several attack errors that allowed Montana Western to pull ahead midway through the set. Despite strong defensive efforts from Tori Richter, who anchored the back row with a team-high 27 digs, the Comets dropped the second set 25–17.

The turning point came in the third, when Montana Western's front line took control. The Bulldogs recorded 14 kills to just two errors, while Mayville hit under .050 as the home team rolled to a 25–13 win. In the fourth set, the Comets fought to regain footing, staying within reach early before a late Western surge closed the match at 25–16.

Offensively, Schwanke and Majchrzak led Mayville State with eight kills apiece, while Cheyann Johnson added seven. Lindsey Nyhagen paced the attack with 15 assists and Danica Hanson chipped in nine. Defensively, the Comets tallied two team blocks, with contributions from Jocelyn Aasen, Majchrzak, and Kathryn Agnew at the net.