FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu October 20, 2016 ‘Jackets unable to sustain momentum in 3-1 loss to Wildcats MSUB Volleyball on Facebook | MSUB Volleyball Stack on ISSUU | Box Score
Ashlynn Ward had four blocks and Casey Rich five in the match against Central Washington.
MSU Billings opens with a first set win, but is unable to sustain its momentum, falling to conference opponent Central Washington, 3-1, on Thursday at Alterowitz. BILLINGS, Mont. – MSU Billings fell in four sets to visiting Central Washington in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference match 23-25, 25-23, 25-13, and 25-17 Thursday at Alterowitz. Montana State University Billings (3-17, 2-9 GNAC) opened with a first set win and played point-for-point with Central Washington (12-8, 8-4 GNAC) through the opening two sets. The Wildcats were able to make adjustments at the net in the final two frames, forcing errors on the Yellowjacket side as MSUB was unable to find an answer against the CWU defense. “I thought that we came out really strong and competed really well in the first two sets,” MSUB head coach Casey Williams said. “After that, we let a lot of things fall, we didn’t play aggressively and we made a lot of errors that CWU capitalized on. For Saturday’s home match, I would like to see us come back with more confidence in order to compete at the level of volleyball I know we are capable of.”
Ashlynn Ward finished with a match-high 20 kills for MSUB. Stormy Siemion completed her ninth double-double of the season with 17 kills and 16 digs. The Yellowjackets opened hitting .296 in the first set, but adjustments by the CWU front line dropped MSUB’s final match hitting percentage to .140 (55-31-171). MSUB finished with 7.0 team blocks. Casey Rich posted five and Ward four. Angala Jensen had 50 assists and seven digs. Kylee Cornelio recorded a team-high 24 digs. Mataia Robinson served up a match-high two aces. Central Washington recorded 14.5 team blocks with Erin Little (8.0), Sabrina Wheelhouse (6.0), and Kiah Jones (5.0) leading the charge for the Wildcats. Jordan Deming finished with a team-high 14 kills with Jones and Madison Weg adding in 11 each. CWU hit .288 on the night (59-14-156) spearheaded by a .579 from Weg. Shelby Mauritsen posted a match-high 26 digs, Kyla Morgan added 16. Nikole Cook (33) and Gaby Aihara (21) combined for 54 assists. The first frame was compelling from the opening serve with both teams trading points all the way to the final two rallies. Siemion used two kills off the block for the first Yellowjacket lead at 5-4. The defensive line aided the MSUB attack, digging balls out of the deep back court to keep the Yellowjackets in the rallies. A kill that arced back into the stands from MSUB’s Lexa de Jesus opened up a two point, 8-6, advantage. The Wildcats countered with three straight points on a kill from Little and two blocks for 13-12. A block from Ward and Rich that moved down the net changed the momentum back to the ‘Jackets. Cornelio served up an ace to keep MSUB ahead. A rocket on the line from Siemion and a kill on the slide from Bre Rodrigues kept MSUB up by two. Jensen aided the effort with a service ace for 18-15. Weg found an open spot in the middle and a block by Little and Jones pulled CWU even. Out of a timeout, Siemion used a roll shot to earn the side out. A dig from Robinson off the block and a kill from Ward after a great play from Rich pulled the ‘Jackets to within two points of the set. A team rotation error from the Wildcats provided MSUB a set point and Siemion forced a ball through the outside block to earn the Yellowjackets the opening frame. The Yellowjackets and Wildcats continued the tight play into the second frame. Central Washington earned its first multiple point lead at 6-4, but Ward countered on a straight cross court kill. Gaining traction, Weg forced a ball through the MSUB double block to take a 9-5 advantage. Siemion shot two attacks down the line for the ‘Jackets. A big double block from Ward and Rodrigues sparked the ‘Jackets to two straight. On a long rally, Jensen cleared a ball out of the net that Ward hit to the back court. A double block from Ward and Rich pulled MSUB even and another huge block on the outside, this time from Jensen and Rich, gave MSUB the lead at 15-14. A mishit by Jensen turned into a point for MSUB. Rich on a pair of points and an error from the Wildcats sent the ‘Jackets ahead 20-17. Two attack errors and a kill from CWU knotted the score at 20. A long approach on the outside stopped the run from the Wildcats at four. Fighting back, de Jesus used the block to tie the score at 23. CWU finished the set and evened the match with a block and MSUB error. The Wildcats took control of the third frame early, opening with a 4-0 run. MSUB picked up steam after a put back from Rich and a block from Rich and Jensen. Cornelio sent the ball to the corner for back-to-back Yellowjacket points. An error from CWU after a block from Rodrigues cut into the deficit. A short set from Jensen to Rodrigues in the middle pulled MSUB to three back, 11-8.
Jones and Deming added two straight kills and a service ace from Kyla Morgan opened-up the largest lead of the night for the Wildcats at 17-10. Jones went back down the line and a solo block from Little doubled CWU’s lead 20-10. Rich snuck through two points into the block to eat into the lead. Weg provided the set point as CWU closed out the third frame on an 11-3 run. After coming out flat in the fourth frame, a timeout and adjustment from MSUB put the team on the scoreboard. Robinson earned an ace and a loud kill from Ward gave the ‘Jackets the lead 4-3. The Wildcats drew ahead 11-8 with a 94 push ended by a kill from Mauritson. The Wildcats continued to drive their advantage, as MSUB peppered in points. MSUB found three straight point to draw to three back, 16-13. The Wildcats closed out the match on a 5-1 stretch that included a kill from Weg and a service ace from Morgan. THE BUZZ: Ward named the St. Vincent Healthcare Athlete of the Match for her third 20-plus kill match of the season…MSUB improved on its performance from its first season match against the Wildcats, taking a set from CWU…tonight’s match also stopped a five match streak of three set losses to Central Washington. UP NEXT: MSU Billings continues its home stand with a conference match, hosting Northwest Nazarene on Saturday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m. --msubsports.com | #JacketNation--