FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu September 6, 2016 MSUB prepares for inaugural D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase MSUB Volleyball on Facebook | MSUB Volleyball Stack on ISSUU | Preview Interviews | Tournament Website
Mataia Robinson doubled her career-high in service aces with six last week against Hawaii Pacific.
After a tournament in Hawaii, the Yellowjacket volleyball team is turning its attention to the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase in California. BILLINGS, Mont. – Montana State Billings volleyball is headed for its second tournament of the 2016 season. After competing in Hawaii last week, the Yellowjackets are travelling to the inaugural D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase hosted by Cal State Dominguez Hills Sept. 8-10, in Carson, Calif. In the Aloha state, MSUB won its opening 2016 season match against BYU-Hawaii in four sets. The Yellowjackets dropped the first set 25-23, but rebounded strong, winning the next three frames for the first win of the season. The ‘Jackets next faced a hot Chaminade team that had defeated No. 14 Alaska Anchorage the previous week. MSUB forced a fourth set by winning the third 25-21, but ultimately fell to the Silverswords 25-19 in the last frame. On the final day in Hawaii, MSUB played a marathon two five set matches. Against Hawaii Pacific, the ‘Jackets won the first set, dropped the second and third, but saved several match points in the fourth, winning 28-26 to force a fifth
deciding set before falling 15-11. Playing in back-to-back matches, MSUB produced a similar score against San Francisco State, taking the first set, dropping the next two, winning the fourth frame, but falling in the end 15-11. PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Senior Ashlynn Ward earned the first Great Northwest Athletic Conference Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week honor for 2016 with her performances in Hawaii. The outside hitter finished the four-match tournament in Hawaii with 67 kills and is leading the conference in attack percentage at .369 (67-15-141). The native of Rexburg, Idaho, finished with no fewer than 14 kills across each match, and completed a 21 kill performance against Chaminade on Friday. Ward is No. 5 in the GNAC in kills per set with 3.72. In four years as a Yellowjacket, Ward has accumulated 825 total kills and needs an additional 32 to move onto the MSUB career top-10. BROKEN RECORDS: Senior Stormy Siemion broke her career-high in kills by one finishing with 23 against Hawaii Pacific. She turned it up a notch against San Francisco State, smashing her record again by totaling 28 kills an hour later against the Gators. The outside hitter from Huntley, Mont., is second in the GNAC in kills per set with 4.17. Including the 51 from Saturday’s matches, Siemion has amassed 75 kills this season, pushing her career total to 485. She also posted her first double-double of the year against HPU with 12 digs to go along with the 23 kills. DOUBLE ACES: Junior Mataia Robinson broke her Senior Ashlynn Ward was named the season’s first 2016 GNAC Volleyball career-high in service aces in Hawaii, doubling her Offensive Player of the Week. record from three to six during the match against Hawaii Pacific. The defensive specialist is fourth on the team in digs per set at 1.67. Robinson is fourth in the GNAC in service aces per set at .72, but is tied for the lead with a total of 13. LEADING THE GNAC: As a team, the Yellowjackets are leading the conference in attack percentage at .233 (224-88-584). MSUB is fifth in kills per set at 12.44 and eighth in blocks with 1.61 per set. RICH AT THE NET: Junior transfer Casey Rich is leading MSUB in blocks with 19.0 total and is averaging over one per set at 1.06. Rich is 10th in the GNAC as an individual, and had two matches with six block assists in Hawaii. FRESHMAN LEADER: Making the decisions for the offense this year is freshman setter Angala Jensen. In just four matches this year, the 5’9” native of Colorado Springs is closing in on 200 assists at 173. Jensen recorded 45 assists in the five set match against Hawaii Pacific and 51 against San Francisco State. Also, adept in the offensive column, Jensen recorded five kills against HPU and seven in the match versus SFSU.
OFFENSIVE COURT: Lexa de Jesus produced two matches in Hawaii hitting over .400, including the first match against BYU-Hawaii where the junior totaled double-digit kills with 11. Miranda McConnell recorded 10 kills in the match against Hawaii Pacific with 5.0 blocks. The sophomore is second on the team in blocks with .56 per set. DEFENSIVE COURT: Senior Kylee Cornelio leads the team in digs per set at 3.44. The libero recorded 18 digs in the match against SFSU and a match-leading 21 against Chaminade. Freshman Faith Taylor played in all 18 opening sets for MSUB in Hawaii. The defensive specialist is second on the team in digs per set at 2.00, and service aces with .17. D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase Hosted by Cal State Dominguez Hills Torodome | Sept. 8-10 Carson, Calif. Thursday, Sept. 8 – vs Azusa Pacific University Cougars – 4:30 PM PST Torodome – Carson, CA – Live Video – Live Stats 2016 Record: 0-4 Head Coach: Chris Keife, 12th season 2015 Record: 14-15, 10-10 PacWest Azusa Pacific opened its 2016 schedule at the Labor Day Classic hosted by Concordia Irvine. The Cougars finished with a 0-4 record, but did take two of the matches to extra sets. APU began the year with a tough five set loss to Colorado Christian and lost in four sets to UC San Diego. The Cougars also faced GNAC schools Seattle Pacific and Simon Fraser, dropping both contests in straight sets. Siemion recorded 51 kills last Friday, including a career-high 28 vs. SFSU.
Madison Ogas (2.36 kps) and Julianne Miller (2.33 kps) are leading APU on offense. Ogas had two matches with 14 kills last week and Miller one match with 15. APU is hitting .125 as a team, but is limiting opponents to .209 with some strong blocking. Miller leads the team with 13.0 total blocks with senior Ashley Midland one behind at 12.0 on the season. On defense, Bailey Henington leads the team in digs with 71. The freshman recorded a season-high 25 against UC San Diego. The Series: (1-2, Neutral 1-2) MSU Billings has faced Azusa Pacific three previous times with the Cougars coming out ahead by one. Last Time Out: MSUB has seen APU twice in the last three years. The ‘Jackets dropped both 2013 and 2015 matches in straight sets.
Friday, Sept. 9 – vs. University of Hawaii Hilo Vulcans – 12 PM PST Torodome – Carson, CA – Live Video – Live Stats 2016 Record: 0-1 Head Coach: Tino Reyes, 1st season 2015 Record: 11-12, 9-11 PacWest Hawaii Hilo has played just one match this season, losing a long contest 3-2 to Cal Poly Pomona at home. The Vulcans beat CPP handily 25-18 and 25-11 in the first two sets, but the Broncos punched back strong, taking the final three frames for the win. Marley Strand-Nicolaisen and Siera Green paced the UHH offense with 17 and 16 kills respectively. The Vulcans finished the match with a .248 attack percentage. Sienna Davis produced 44 assists. Mina Grant led the defensive effort with 14 digs. The Vulcans topped CPP in blocks 8.0-4.0 with Amani Moultire totaling 5.0. The Series: (11-18, 0-2 Neutral) The Yellowjackets have faced the Vulcans 29 times in their history. MSUB has not played against UHH since 2010. Last Time Out: MSUB has lost the four meetings against UHH, including a 2010 neutral match in Hawaii. Friday, Sept. 9 – vs. Humboldt State University Jacks - 5 PM PST Torodome – Carson, CA – Live Video – Live Stats 2016 Record: 3-1 Head Coach: Kelly Wood, 4th season 2015 Record: 9-15, 7-13 CCAA Humboldt State has started its 2016 season with a strong 3-1 record. The Jacks won matches against Academy of Art, Notre Dame de Namur, and Holy Names at the Route 92 Classic in California while dropping a four set match against Dominican during the two-day tournament. All 13 players on the HSU roster saw time on the court last week. Symone Hayden posted 52 kills in the four matches and leads the team in kills per set at 3.47. Alex Lolland (2.47) and Nicole Bewley (2.07) are also averaging over two kills pet set. As a team the Jacks are hitting an even .200 (200-87-565). Bewley has 13.0 blocks HSU, and leads the Jacks in attack percentage at .293 (31-7-82). Katherine Rifilato and Jessica Lammers both have 77 assists this year. Sarah Shively leads in the dig column with 62. HSU is holding opponents to 10.2 kills per set. The Jacks have also been a good service team, averaging a conference fourthbest 1.53 per set. The Series: (0-3 Away) The Yellowjackets have faced the Jacks three previous times, all on HSU’s home court. Last Time Out: MSUB played Humboldt State twice in 2003, losing both matches. Saturday, Sept. 10 – at Cal State Dominguez Hills University Toros – 10 AM PST Torodome – Carson, CA – Live Stats 2016 Record: 1-3 Head Coach: Jennifer Adeva, 6th season 2015 Record: 10-18, 8-12 CCAA
Host school Cal State Dominguez Hills opened its 2016 season at the Seaside Invitational hosted by Point Loma Nazarene with a 1-3 record. The Toros won their match against the host Lions, but dropped contests against Western New Mexico, Cal Baptist and Saginaw Valley State all in straight sets. Tati Yandall has 37 kills for the Toros. Malerie Crenshaw is hitting .364 for the team, including a performance of .667 against SVSU. Antonette Rolda has recorded 76 assists for the Toros. Cathrun Lopez has 36 digs. The Series: (1-3, 0-1 Away) MSUB has an overall record of 1-3 against the Toros. Last Time Out: The last meeting between MSUB and CSUDH was a neutral match in Belmont, Calf., with the Toros getting the best of the Yellowjackets in four sets. msubsports.com | #JacketNation--