MSUB volleyball swept by Concordia 3-0 on Think Pink Night

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu October 17, 2015 Volleyball swept by Concordia on Think Pink Night 3-0

Abbie Mikelson pounded eight kills in the match against Concordia (Ore.)

MSUB Volleyball on Facebook Interactive Box Score MSUB Volleyball Stack on ISSUU In conference action, Concordia (Ore.) powers through three sets, sweeping MSU Billings on Think Pink Night.

BILLINGS, Mont. – A season-high 14 kills and a double-double from Stormy Siemion was not enough as MSU Billings dropped a conference match 3-0 (25-19, 25-23, and 25-19) to Concordia (Ore.) during the Yellowjackets’ annual Think Pink match Saturday.

Brenna Huwe and Lindsey Dorsey combined for 31 of the 47 kills for the Cavaliers. The team hit .304 (47-13-112) against MSUB and led in blocks 9.0-5.0.

“Stormy did a great job tonight taking chances and taking some big swings for us on the outside,” MSUB head coach Lisa Axel said. “I also thought Abbie Mikelson did a great job coming in and providing us with much needed energy on the court. Taylor Sherman had a very good night on defense and made some great digs.”

Siemion was sharp at the net, mixing up her shots and taking some big swings on the outside. Mikelson, tonight’s St. Vincent Healthcare Athlete of the Match, had eight terminations and a block. Ashlynn Ward recorded 10 kills on a team-leading .375 attack percentage (101-24).

Concordia (13-5, 5-5 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) had three players hit over .300 for the match. The team combined for 47 kills and 47 digs. Jenessa Taylor recorded a match-high 40 assists with Taylor Sonnenberg contributing a match-high 13 digs.

MSU Billings hosted Concordia (Ore.) on Think Pink Night

Siemion and Taylor Sherman with 12 digs each led MSUB in the defensive court. Kyndal Williams picked up 38 assists – her seventh consecutive match with 30 or more. MSU Billings now sits at 3-15 on the season and 2-8 in the GNAC. The first set was tight until Concordia pulled away down the stretch on a 6-1 run.

Off a short set in the middle, MSUB's Taylor Albertson won a point to tie at six. Audri Marrs followed that up with a win on a battle at the net. Mikelson struck a hard kill down the line for the lead at 8-6.

Concordia countered with some great blocking at the net. Huwe and Colby Bernette were a force at the net, setting up their third block of the night, the duo won the Cavaliers a point for 14-13.

After a replay gave the Yellowjackets another chance, Marrs and Williams got into the action with their own block. Not to be outdone, Concordia pushed the point-spread to four at 19-15 with another stuff block.

Mikelson powered through the middle for one, and Siemion hit a ball off the block to close the gap by two. CU rebounded, finishing the set on a 6-1 run with Huwe providing three of the points for the Cavaliers.

Concordia opened the second frame on a 5-0 blast. MSUB fought back with a 6-2 spurt. Ward pulled the team to within one, 7-6 on a put-back to the open court.

Shooting for the open court, Siemion placed a dump to the 10-foot line for a point and Mikelson and Albertson combined for a stuff block for 11-10. Playing smart, the ‘Jackets continued to mix up their speed and shot selection.

Making use of the short dump again, Mikelson provided one on the right side and an error from CU tied the set at 13.

Siemion pushed the Yellowjackets ahead, pounding a ball through the outside block, sending the Cavaliers to the bench for the first timeout of the set.

MSU Billings won an important point with solid blocking at the end, finishing with a shot from Marrs for 17-16. The Cavaliers got two more, but a Ward kill and a block from Williams knotted the score at 18.

With her third straight kill, Ward pulled the Yellowjackets ahead 20-19. CU jumped back in, forcing MSUB to the bench.

After the timeout from the Yellowjackets, Siemion picked up her 10th kill of the match. CU came back with an attempt from Huwe, but Mikelson on the outside pulled up for a solo block for 22-all.

Two errors on MSUB gave the Cavaliers a set point and Dorsey provided the final point for the Cavaliers finishing the set 25-23 for the 2-0 lead.

CU kept a comfortable gap through most of the third set. Siemion provided MSUB its closest chance, moving to with one at 9-8. Ward provided a great block at 15-12, but the Cavaliers were on a roll in the third frame. Back-to-back kills from Ward and Mikelson pushed MSUB to within two again in the middle of the set, but each time the Yellowjackets picked up one, CU roared back with one or two more.

On match point, Marrs won the rally on a slide kill down the line, but the deficit was too great, as Concordia’s Dorsey finished the match at 25-19.

THE BUZZ: MSUB hit .150 on the night…this is Siemion’s second double-double this season and with 14.0, it is the most points she has recorded this season…every MSUB player in the match logged at least one dig…Albertson led the team in blocks with three.

UP NEXT: On a short turnaround, MSUB is back on the court next Tuesday, Oct. 20, against Rocky Mountain College. This will be the second match between the two Billings institutions. Earlier in the season, RMC won an exhibition 3-1, which included an epic 38-36 second set.

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