Williams and Marrs lead 'Jackets to 3-1 win over Saints

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu November 7, 2015 Williams and Marrs lead volleyball to 3-1 win over Saint Martin’s on Senior Night Volleyball on Facebook Volleyball Stack on ISSUU Interactive Box Score MSUB Volleyball Senior Day

MSUB senior Kyndal Williams (left) and Audri Marrs helped led MSUB to a win over Saint Martin’s

On Senior Night at MSUB, Kyndal Williams and Audri Marrs lead the Yellowjackets to a 3-1 win over Saint Martin’s.

BILLINGS, Mont. –Kyndal Williams and Audri Marrs led MSU Billings to a 3-1 (27-25, 25-11, 20-25, 25-13) victory over conference opponent Saint Martin’s during Senior Night on Saturday.

The Yellowjackets put down 44 kills on the night with three players totaling double-digits. Marrs and Taylor Sherman cleared 11 with Ashlynn Ward ending on a match-high 14.

Williams contributed 39 assists, five digs, and was one of three players to record four blocks. Marrs and Miranda McConnell also had four blocks as MSUB held a 10.0-8.0 advantage at the net.

MSU Billings (6-19, 5-11 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) used a combination of well-timed hits and great defense in the 4-set win in Alterowitz.

“I am so proud of our two seniors,” MSUB head coach Lisa Axel said. “They both had a great night tonight. It was the perfect ending with Kyndal going up and getting the final kill. Taylor Sherman had a great night both offensively and defensively getting double-digits in kills and digs. We started a bit slow in the first two sets, but rallied and played some of our best volleyball of the season in the last two sets. Hopefully, this gives us some confidence going into our last two weeks of the season as we go back out on the road.”

Libero Kimmy Kirk tied for a match-high 16 digs. Sherman had 12 to go along with her 11 kills as she completed her second double-double of the year.

MSUB held a .154-.121 attack advantage. Sherman held the team’s match-hitting .267 (11-3-30).

For Saint Martin’s (2-20, 1-15 GNAC), Megan Vernoy hit a match-high .375 (12-3-24) and Julie Wabinga completed 11 as the two players combined for 23 of the Saints’ 49 kills.

Casandra Fenton ended with a match-high 42 assists. Three players cleared double-digits in digs for SMU with Hannah Neumann leading the charge at 16.

MSUB needed to rally back down from as many as seven points in the match as for the first time this year, the Yellowjackets were able to come back from a large lead for a set win.

The first set was a battle with the teams tying the score at 25 before MSUB added two points for the 1-0 lead. Saint Martin’s opened the set with four straight points, but fighting it off Ward connected on a ball off a feed from Williams for the first MSUB point of the match. A service ace from Cassidy Apo stretched the SMU advantage to four, 9-5, but Marrs hit a good off-speed kill through the block to win a side out.

The Yellowjackets earned points from Marrs and with an error from the Saints closed to within a point at 10-9.

On a service error from SMU, Ward came through with the team’s first service ace. After a timeout from the Saints bench, the team rallied with a hard ball to the open court. On a second service error from SMU, this time the Yellowjackets capitalized, earning a point and forcing an error from Wabinga for MSUB’s first lead of the match 17-16.

After a timeout from the MSUB bench to regroup, Marrs and Williams put-up a stuff block to push the ‘Jackets ahead 2120.

The Saints fired back with a kill from Vegas Casey. SMU earned a set point at 24-23, but a second service error from Wabinga opened the door for MSUB. A receiving error gave the Saints a second set point, but a big kill from Ward again tied the score. A dual at the net resulted in a net call for SMU giving MSUB the first set 27-25.

SMU jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the second frame. The Yellowjackets caught up with three straight, but SMU engaged on a 6-1 run to open up an 11-6 advantage.

With a loud kill from Sherman, MSUB pumped out a point, but on a roll, the Saint continued to push the scoreboard. On an outside kill from Vernoy, SMU drew the score out to 17-10.

The Saints added three more, but not out of it, the Yellowjackets engaged on a 5-1 rally to close to within three 20-17.

SMU pumped out three more before Ward hit a straight down kill to earn one back, but with a tip over the block Saint Martin’s earned a set point. Ward stalled the second set win with another kill to the floor and an off-speed shot from Sherman kept the Yellowjackets in it.

The break was short as Vernoy sealed the second set with a kill to the back court to even the match at a set apiece.

This time it was the Yellowjackets who opened up with the early lead.

After multiple attempts at the net, McConnell pushed a ball through the middle for a point. Marrs hit a ball down and McConnell collected an ace on a long service ball to the back court for a 10-4 advantage.

Kyra Davidson picked up a kill sending the Saints on a 3-point rally.

Fighting back, MSU Billings pushed for five straight. A big touch kill earned the Saints a point, but a nice clean kill from Ward to the outside corner opened up an eight point 17-9 lead.

The Saints climbed to three back, forcing an error on the MSUB side of the court, but another service error stopped the shift.

A double block from Marrs and Williams echoed through the gym for 23-19. Marrs slammed home a kill to open floor for a set point. SMU stalled it with two points, but up at the net again, Marrs hammered it home for a 25-20 and 2-1 set lead.

In the middle of the last set, MSUB pushed eight straight to open a 15-6 advantage. An off-speed kill from Ward off a bump set from Kirk pushed the score further. The lead was stretched to double-digits before a kill from Knecht gave the ball back to the Saints.

Although the Saints peppered in a few final points, the Yellowjackets remained in firm command of the fourth set. A block from Abbie Mikelson and Williams went for a point at 20-10. With more defense, Marrs won a dual at the top of the net for 23. Ward earned a kill on an overpass, and fittingly Williams finished the match with a kill to the open court for the win.

MSUB seniors Audri Marrs (left) and Kyndal WIlliams

THE BUZZ: Before the match Williams and Marrs were honored as this season’s two seniors…a graduate student, Marrs had an immediate impact on the team on the offensive line starting all 25 matches in the middle for MSUB…this season, Marrs leads the team in total blocks with 61.0 including nine solo…she is second on the team in total kills with 191 averaging just over two kills per set at 2.08…Williams is a 4-year starter for the Yellowjackets – she has played in every

single set in every single match since she became a member of the MSUB team… during 105 matches played, to date, Williams has totaled 381 games for eighth all-time at MSUB in sets placed… she has also just surpassed MSUB Hall of Fame member Natalie Bills for sole possession of second all-time at MSUB in assists with 3,883…in the GNAC, Williams is now ranked fifth all-time in assists and is just 21 back from tying fourth place…in individual matches at MSUB, Williams holds the eighth best performance in total assists with 65 which she completed during a match against Central Washington in 2013…besides her athletic abilities, Williams is a 3-time recipient of academic all-conference accolades.

UP NEXT: MSUB closes out the season with four road contests. Next week, the Yellowjackets face Concordia (Ore.) on Thursday, Nov. 12, followed by a match against Western Oregon on Saturday, Nov. 14. msubsports.com | #JacketNation--