MSUB volleyball dominates third set, earns sweep over SMU 3-0

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu

October 8, 2015 MSUB volleyball dominates third set, earns sweep over SMU 3-0 MSUB Volleyball on Facebook Interactive Box Score MSUB Volleyball Stack on ISSUU

Mataia Roderick helped MSUB finish with more digs (52-45) in the win over Saint Martin’s.

MSUB volleyball dominates the third set in conference action, coming away with the 3-0 sweep over Saint Martin’s.

LACEY, Wash. – After two close sets, MSU Billings dominated the third game as the Yellowjackets earned a 3-0 (25-23, 25-21, 25-16) road-victory over conference opponent Saint Martin’s Thursday.

St. Vincent Healthcare Athlete of the Match Audri Marrs completed six of her 10 kills during the final set. The senior finished with a match leading-.600 attack percentage (10-1-15) throwing in three block assists at the net.

MSU Billings (3-12, 2-5 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) led the match on a .250 team attack percentage (40-14104) and held SMU to .113 (25-22-115).

The Yellowjackets finished with more kills (40-35), assists (39-33), and digs (52-45).

For MSUB, freshman Taylor Sherman for MSUB had a team-high 12 digs, and setter Kyndal Williams led all players in assists with 36.

Sherman and Ashlynn Ward both contributed eight kills. Kimmy Kirk finished in double figures in digs with 10.

“Tonight was a great win for us,” MSUB head coach Lisa Axel said. “It is not easy to play on the road in our conference and we battled hard tonight. Audri had a great night for us in the middle and was able to get in double-digit kills with only one error. Taylor Sherman also had a great night both offensively at the net and also on defense leading the team in digs.”

The first set was the closest of the match. Both teams were within two points of each other until a 4-0 run allowed MSUB to take the lead at 21-16. The Saints battled back, matching the Yellowjackets point-for-point until a kill from Ward gave MSUB a set point.

The Saints rattled off three points, including a kill from Kyra Davidson to draw the score to within one, but an attack from Taylor Albertson from a Williams assist ended the first frame 2523.

Not going away quietly, Saint Martin’s (2-12, 1-7 GNAC) opened the second set with three straight points.

The Yellowjacket got back into the set on a 5-0 run, taking the lead on a service ace from Mataia Roderick for 8-7.

Audri Marrs finished with 10 kills and three blocks.

The teams continued to trade points. Kills from Sherman and Ward opened up a small window at 19-17. Needing to push for the end of the set, MSUB’s Marrs and Miranda McConnell struck timely shots into the short court.

An error from the Saints set-up a second set point, and McConnell took advantage, placing a ball straight down the middle to put MSUB up 2-0.

MSU Billings broke open the third set after a tie at 7-all sent the Yellowjacket on a 4-0 run. Aided by points from Marrs and McConnell, MSUB moved up to an 11-7 advantage.

A neat strike from Marrs started a 6-0 run for the Yellowjackets, widening the gap to 20-11. A kill from SMU’s Julia Wabinga stopped the point-spread, but MSU Billings continued on through the third set, riding the momentum to a match-point at 24-16. Ward finished with match with her eighth kill of the night for the win.

Wabinga led the Saints in kills with 11. Cassandra Fenton totaled 31 assists, with Elizabeth Colon finishing with a matchhigh 13 digs.

THE BUZZ: MSUB hit .419 in the final set (15-2-31)...five Yellowjackets finished with five or more kills…two Yellowjackets had more than 10 digs…Williams is on a 4-match streak with 30 or more assists.

UP NEXT: MSU Billings travels to Seattle for a matchup with conference opponent Seattle Pacific on Saturday, Oct., 11 at 7:00 p.m. Pacific time.

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