MSUB Volleyball Drops Opening GNAC Match to CWU 3-0

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu September 17, 2015 Volleyball falls in opener to Wildcats 3-0 MSUB Volleyball on Facebook Interactive Box Score MSUB Volleyball on ISSUU

Freshman Taylor Sherman completed a double-double against Central Washington with 11 kills and 13 digs.

The MSUB volleyball team could not find their rhythm during MSUB’s opening conference match, falling to Central Washington 3-0.

BILLINGS, Mont. – On opening night for conference action, the MSUB volleyball team struggled to find a rhythm, dropping their home match against Central Washington in straight sets 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-16).

Outside hitters Ashlynn Ward and Taylor Sherman led the offensive effort for the Yellowjackets each finishing with 11 kills. Sherman completed a double-double on the night adding a team-high 13 digs. A freshman from Parker, Colo., Sherman was named tonight’s St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Match.

“I thought Ashlynn Ward had a great night tonight for us,” MSUB head coach Lisa Axel said. “She responded strongly after not swinging well the last few matches. I thought Taylor Sherman stepped up. She used the block on the outside

and also had a great defensive night being very disciplined on the floor. We just made too many errors against a strong CWU effort. Central Washington is a great team, and we can’t go out there and compete with as many errors as we did.”

The Yellowjackets were held to a .120 attack percentage (35-21-117) while Central Washington pounded home 42 kills on a .347 hitting effort. MSUB finished with seven serving errors to just three from the Wildcats.

The loss for MSUB drops the Yellowjackets to 1-8 on the season and 0-1 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action. Central Washington improves to 6-3 overall and 2-0 in the GNAC. MSUB senior Kyndal Williams finished the match with 32 assists while Audri Marrs, Miranda McConnell and Ward all ended with two block assists each.

Central Washington hung tough at the net, out-blocking MSUB 10.0-4.0. Three Wildcats finished with 4.0 block assists. Sabrina Wheelhouse ended the match with six kills on a .667 attack percentage. Linden Firethorne claimed a matchhigh 15 kills. Setter Catie Fry dished up 35 assists and 10 digs for a doubledouble. Libero Lindsey Milner came up with 14 digs.

The Wildcats ended the match with more kills (42-35), assists (40-34), digs (5141), and blocks.

In the opening frame, CWU jumped out to a 7-3 lead. MSU Billings climbed back into the set with a 6-4 run, ending with a big kill from Sherman to close the gap 11-9. The Wildcats continued to push points, drawing on a varying offensive attack and a solid defensive effort. MSUB came closer as a CWU service error at 15-13 had the Yellowjackets down by two points. A kill from Williams dropped the lead to 15-14, but a service error from the ‘Jackets returned the advantage to the Wildcats.

Senior setter Kyndal Williams

Central Washington rebounded with a kill from Madison Weg, but a huge kill down the middle from MSUB’s Taylor Albertson won the point back for the Yellowjackets.

With a 3-point lead, CWU’s Kiah Jones served and the Wildcats won a big point on the longest rally of the set from outside hitter Firethorne for a 20-16 lead. A double block on the outside from Firethorne and Wheelhouse and an error from MSUB broke open a 5-point CWU 22-17 advantage.

After a timeout, the Yellowjackets’ Albertson crushed a crosscourt kill for a point, but it would be the last one for MSUB, as CWU closed out Set 1 with three straight points for a 25-18 win.

Sherman started off Set 2 for MSUB with a kill on the line for the Yellowjackets. It was back-and-forth for the next five points. CWU gained some ground after a MSUB service error led the Wildcats on a 5-1 run, sending MSUB to the bench at 9-4.

Central Washington gathered steam, adding six points to three from the ‘Jackets, forcing Coach Axel to call the team’s second timeout at 15-7. A dump to the right side from middle blocker Marrs and a loud kill from Ward added two points for MSUB.

The Wildcats fired back as their front row kept strong at the net. The Wildcats opened up a 10-point 22-12 gap before MSU Billings rallied for six straight points. McConnell led the charge with a short kill and back-to-back efforts from Albertson and Sherman. Mataia Roderick added a service ace to the 6-point spread, breathing life into the set for MSUB and narrowing the gap to four, 22-18.

After of a called timeout, Central Washington’s Erin Little sent a shot in the near court for a point at 23-18. Jones closed out the set for CWU with two kills, giving the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.

A double block from Marrs and Albertson started off Set 3 with a point for MSUB. Sherman and a kill from Marrs off the slide added two points for the ‘Jackets. Central Washington kept pace with a block and kill from Firethorne. Pushing two more points, CWU’s Jones and Wheelhouse combined for a block and Jones tipped the ball to the far outside.

Adding to their lead, the Wildcats racked up a 12-5 advantage ending when Albertson punched through a kill on the right side for the ‘Jackets. A service ace from Kimmy Kirk pulled MSU Billings back in, and another kill from Sherman drove the deficit down to five, 14-9.

MSUB peppered in an additional seven points, but the firepower of Central Washington proved to be too much for MSUB as the Yellowjackets fell 25-16 in the final set.

Coming Up: The Yellowjackets are coming back to the court on Saturday, Sept. 19 with a GNAC match against Northwest Nazarene at 7 p.m. in Alterowitz Gymnasium.

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