MARSHALL, Texas - Carroll University's women's volleyball team showcased resilience and depth during a challenging weekend at the ETBU Women's Volleyball Tournament, finishing with a 2–2 record against a strong field of regional opponents. The Pioneers (4–4) demonstrated growth, grit, and flashes of high-level execution across four matches played at Ornelas Gymnasium on September 5th and 6th.
Carroll opened the tournament with a four-set victory over the University of Dallas (23–25, 25–15, 25–17, 25–17). After dropping the first set, the Pioneers responded with dominant play led by Bronwyn Rowse's 19 kills and a .368 hitting percentage. Kylie Wittnebel and Carly Hicklin combined for 19 kills, while setter Payton Depies orchestrated the offense with 41 assists and added six service aces. The team's defensive effort was anchored by Maggie McGough and Taylor Raley, who combined for 26 digs.
In the evening match, Carroll pushed undefeated #14 East Texas Baptist to the limit in a competitive 3–0 loss (24–26, 21–25, 25–27). Rowse led again with 20 kills, and Depies added 35 assists and 11 digs. Despite the sweep, the Pioneers held leads in each set and showed poise against one of Division III's top teams.
Saturday morning featured a five-set thriller against Mary Hardin-Baylor. Carroll took the opening set and rallied in the fourth to force a decisive fifth, ultimately falling 15–9 (25–20, 18–25, 16–25, 25–17, 9–15). Rosenbaum posted 11 kills, Rowse added 15, and Wittnebel contributed nine. Depies recorded 38 assists and 15 digs, while McGough led all players with 30 digs.
The Pioneers closed the tournament with a statement win over Concordia (TX), rallying from a first-set loss to win the next three (22–25, 25–8, 25–21, 25–16). Audrey Rosenbaum delivered a standout performance with 18 kills on a .455 hitting percentage. Wittnebel and Karlee Riggs added 17 combined kills, and Depies finished with 27 assists and 14 digs. Brooklyn Johnson and Hicklin added key contributions at the net and in the back row.
Carroll returns home with a 4–4 overall record and valuable experience gained against high-caliber competition. The team will look to carry this momentum into a matchup next week when they take on Wisconsin Lutheran on September 10th in Milwaukee.
