KANSAS CITY, Mo. — For the first time in program history, Providence has the No. 1-ranked volleyball team in the NAIA.
The Argos, who were previously ranked a then-program-best No. 2, climbed to first in this week's NAIA Women's Volleyball Top 25 Poll, which was released Wednesday. Eastern Oregon, which was ranked first in prior polls, lost its first two matches of the season in the past two weeks.
Providence (25-1 overall) has won 24 consecutive matches and holds an 18-0 record in the Frontier Conference. The Argos' only loss on the season came Aug. 22 against Eastern Oregon.
UP setter Bella Thompson is coming off her seventh conference setter of the week award of the season. She totaled 75 assists and nine blocks in the Argos' wins over Bismarck State and Dickinson State last week. Thompson is currently third in the NAIA with 11.24 assists per set.
Just four matches remain in the regular season for Providence, which travels to Dakota State on Friday and seventh-ranked Bellevue on Saturday. The Argos close out the regular season with home matches versus Montana Western on Nov. 7 and Montana Tech on Nov. 8. The Frontier Conference tournament is Nov. 13-15 at Helena.
At No. 7, Bellevue is the Frontier's only other team ranked in the NAIA top 25. The Bruins are 20-3 overall (16-2 Frontier) with one of their losses coming at Providence on Sept. 26.
Dakota State (14-10 overall, 10-8 Frontier), MSU-Northern (15-9, 13-5), Montana Tech (14-10, 10-8) and Carroll (15-11, 10-8) are among the other teams to receive votes.
Following Providence and Eastern Oregon at the top of the rankings are Northwestern (Iowa), Concordia (Neb.) and Corban (Ore.) to round out the top five. View the complete poll.
