FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu October 18, 2016 Volleyball continues 5 match home stand with CWU and NNU MSUB Volleyball on Facebook | MSUB Volleyball Stack on ISSUU | GNAC Standings Preview Interviews with junior Casey Rich, freshman Faith Taylor, and head coach Casey Williams
The Yellowjackets posted a season-high 15.0 blocks in the win over Western Oregon last week.
Heading into their conference matches at home, the Yellowjackets are looking to build on two competitive matches and a win against conference opponent Western Oregon last week in Alterowitz. BILLINGS, Mont. – After collecting a win against Western Oregon, the Yellowjacket volleyball program continues a five match home stand welcoming Central Washington and Northwest Nazarene to Alterowitz. Montana State University Billings (3-16, 2-8 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) played two five match battles at home last week, falling in a heart-breaker to Concordia (Ore.), but rebounding with a strong match and final frame in a win over Western Oregon. EIGHTH ALL-TIME: Senior outside hitter Ashlynn Ward posted 41 kills last week, including 24 on a .400 attack percentage against Concordia (Ore.) The native of Rexburg, Idaho, moved to an impressive 1,030 career kills which makes her only the eighth Yellowjacket in the program’s history to achieve that feat. In the match against Western Oregon, Ward
posted a career-high nine blocks against Western Oregon taking her career total to 191. Ward is second in the GNAC in kills per set at 3.63 and 13th in attack percentage at .254 (272-91-714). STORMING THE COURT: Senior Stormy Siemion recorded back-to-back double-doubles in the two matches last week taking her season total to eight. Against Concordia (Ore.), Siemion had 17 kills and 16 digs followed by a 15 kill and 10 dig performance in the win over WOU. Siemion is sixth in the GNAC in kills per set at 3.45 and is second on the team in digs with 2.97 per set. FIERCE DEFENSE: The MSUB defense put-up some big numbers against their opponents last week. The front line tallied a season-high 10.5 blocks against Concordia (Ore.) and then broke that two days later in the win over WOU with 15.0. Ward and Bre Rodrigues both posted nine total blocks in the win over Western Oregon. Casey Rich had six in both matches and leads the team with 67.0 total blocks, averaging .96 per set. In the back court, the defense recorded a season-high 87 team digs against the Wolves with freshman Faith Taylor leading the way with a season-high 20. Senior Kylee Cornelio tallied 19 against WOU and a match-high 22 against Concordia (Ore.). The native of Hawaii is on a seven match double-digit streak in digs and leads the team with an average 3.93 per set. OPPOSITE SIDE: Lexa de Jesus posted her second doubledigit kill total of the season with 10 on a .280 attack percentage against WOU. The junior is on a seven match streak recording one or more blocks. She had four last week and has 20.0 on the season. The right side hitter passed a milestone last week, adding in 18 kills to take her season total over 100 at 116. FRESHMAN ASSET: Angala Jensen had two big matches last Bre Rodrigues posted 9 blocks against WOU. week in assists. The freshman recorded a season-high 53 in the match against Concordia (Ore.) and followed that up with 44 two nights later for 97 across the two matches. She also completed double-doubles in both contests, factoring in the defense with 10 and 17 digs respectively, pushing her season total to 126. Jensen is eighth in the GNAC in assists with 8.81 per set. MCCONNELL IN THE MIDDLE: Miranda McConnell posted two blocks and five kills in the match against Concordia (Ore.). The sophomore middle blocker has 35.0 blocks on the year and is averaging .59 per set. ROBINSON’S RESULTS: Junior Mataia Robinson has 169 digs this season and is averaging 2.28 this season. At the service line, Robinson leads the team with 22 aces on the year and an average .30 per set. Thursday – Oct. 20 – vs Central Washington University Wildcats – 7:00 PM Alterowitz Gymnasium – Billings, MT – Live Video – Live Stats
2016 Record – 11-7, 7-3 GNAC Head Coach: Mario Andaya, 21st season Central Washington is heading into the week fourth in the conference standings with a 7-3 record. The Wildcats split last week’s matches, taking a loss at home against No. 8 Alaska Anchorage, but winning against Alaska in straight sets. CWU has been a little inconsistent in the conference season, taking a loss to Western Oregon, but winning at Simon Fraser in three straight. The Wildcats will look to capitalize on last week’s win heading into the week. Central Washington is in the middle of the conference in both attack percentage and opposing percentage, but leads the GNAC and the nation in blocks per set at 2.97. The Wildcats are fifth in the nation in total blocks with 196.0. CWU has three players in the GNAC top-10 in blocks and are led by No. 1 Sabrina Wheelhouse with 1.67 per set. Wheelhouse is second in the nation in blocks and leads the team in hitting percentage at .291. Erin Little is fourth in the GNAC and 15th in the nation in blocks per set at 1.24 followed by Madison Weg at .95 per set for the 10th highest mark in the league. Kyla Morgan is sixth in the GNAC in digs per set with 4.53. Gaby Aihara (5.45 assists per set) and Nikole Cook (4.91 assists per set) split the duties at the setter’s position. The Series: (4-18, 2-8 Home) MSU Billings is on a five match losing streak to CWU that dates back to the 2013 season. The Yellowjackets have also not won a set against CWU since the five set match win on Nov. 7, 2013. Last Time Out: MSUB fell in three sets on the road. Ward had a double-double of 15 digs and 14 kills and Siemion 10 kills and 13 digs. Saturday – Oct. 22 – vs Northwest Nazarene University Crusaders – 7:00 PM Alterowitz Gymnasium – Billings, MT – Live Video – Live Stats 2016 Record – 12-5, 5-5 GNAC Head Coach: Doug English, 4th season Northwest Nazarene is an even 5-5 in the GNAC after the first part of the conference season. The Crusaders are 1-3 in their last four matches, but did play three of the top teams in the GNAC. In the conference, NNU is fourth in hitting percentage (.204), third in assists (12.51), and second in digs (18.14). Kendra Bodine leads the GNAC in kills per set at 4.00. Hailey Cook is second in the league in assists at 11.10, Shayli Siegfreid is third in digs at 5.46 per set, and Madi Farrell is third in blocks at 1.27 per set. The Series: (5-19, 2-8 Home) MSU Billings is on an eight match losing streak to NNU that dates back to the 2012 season. The ‘Jackets have lost the last three in straight sets. Last Time Out: MSUB fell in three sets on the road. Ward had 14 kills and Siemion seven kills and 10 digs. The ‘Jackets hit .094 to .357 from the Crusaders. MSUB had just one block in the match compared to six from NNU.
The MSUB front line produced 25.5 blocks last week at home.
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