FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu November 8, 2016 Volleyball begins last 4 matches of season on the road MSUB Volleyball on Facebook | MSUB Volleyball Stack on ISSUU | GNAC Standings Preview interviews with Casey Rich, Bre Rodrigues, and head coach Casey Williams
Junior Casey Rich leads the team in total blocks this season with 90.0.
Montana State University Billings begins its final four road matches of the 2016 with Great Northwest Athletic Conference contests at Western Oregon and Concordia (Ore.). BILLINGS, Mont. – Winning their last four of five matches, the MSUB volleyball team is in a good position to end their 2016 season on a high-note. The Yellowjackets will finish out their Great Northwest Athletic Conference schedule with four road matches beginning at Western Oregon and Concordia (Ore.). MSU Billings (7-19, 5-11 GNAC) has won its last three conference matches, a four set win at Alaska against the Nanooks and at Alterowitz last week, a four set victory against Saint Martin’s and a straight sets win over Seattle Pacific. SEVENTH ALL-TIME: Ashlynn Ward posted 15 kills against Saint Martin’s and eight kills in the win against Seattle Pacific. The senior outside hitter hit .243 against the Saints adding in three blocks and three digs. The native of Rexburg, Idaho, has 1,117 career kills which makes her only the eighth Yellowjacket in the program’s history to top 1,000. Ward is seventh all-time at MSUB in career kills, needing 60 to move to No. 6. Ward is second in the GNAC in kills per set at 3.59
and 13th in attack percentage at .249 (359-122-951). At the net, Ward also has 60.0 total blocks this season, moving her career above the 200 mark at 205.0. STORMING THE COURT: Stormy Siemion posted her 13th double-double this season recording solid numbers in both wins last week. She also had a double-double of 10 kills and 18 digs against Saint Martin’s and 11 kills and 21 digs against Seattle Pacific. For the week, the native of Huntley, Mont., produced 21 kills and 39 digs. Siemion is on a nine match streak in double-digit digs. This week on the career charts, Siemion has 753 kills and 910 digs for MSUB. With her career total in digs, Siemion is now 10th all-time at MSUB in digs surpassing Alexis Sandru at 905. In the GNAC, Siemion is third in kills per set at 3.43 and 16th in digs with 3.31. FIERCE DEFENSE: The MSUB defense continued its solid numbers. Against Saint Martin’s the Yellowjackets finished with 69 digs and against Seattle Pacific 54. At the net, MSUB finished with 16.5 blocks in the two matches. Freshman Faith Taylor recorded 28 total digs in the seven sets at home last week. Taylor has 244 total digs on the season and is averaging 2.44 per set. Casey Rich had four blocks against the Saints and two against the Falcons. The junior leads the team at the net with 95.0 total blocks this season. In the four set win over Saint Martin’s, Rich posted a season-high 14 kills on a .360 attack percentage with five digs and three assists. Kylee Cornelio recorded 15 digs last week. The senior added an assist and service ace. Cornelio has 363 digs this year, 53 assists, and 20 service aces. Mataia Robinson finished with 14 digs last week and two service aces. In the GNAC, Robinson is seventh in service aces with .31 per set. FRESHMAN ASSET: Angala Jensen finished the week with 74 assists. She added 13 digs and two blocks in the pair of conference wins. Jensen is eighth in the GNAC in assists with 8.73 per set. On the season she has recorded 873 total assists and 165 digs with 41.0 total blocks. MCONNELL IN THE MIDDLE: Miranda McConnell finished with 10 kills on a .286 attack percentage in the win against the Saints adding in four blocks. She finished with seven against the Falcons taking her total to 17 in the two wins. Against Seattle Pacific, McConnell posted a career-high six total blocks taking her season total to 53.0. RODRIGUES ON THE RIGHT: Freshman Bre Rodrigues saw time on the right side for the Yellowjackets last week. She contributed a half dozen kills and earned six total blocks for the Yellowjackets. Rodrigues has 35.0 total blocks in her first collegiate campaign with 54 kills. Thursday – Nov. 10– Western Oregon University Wolves – 7:00 PM PST New P.E. Building – Monmouth, Ore. – Live Video – Live Stats 2016 Record – 9-13, 6-10 GNAC Head Coach: Tommy Gott, 1st season MSU Billings won its first match this season against Western Oregon in a five set battle 15-13 in the final frame. The Wolves have won six GNAC contests this season, including a sweep over Alaska at home last Thursday.
MSU Billings won its first match this season against Western Oregon in a five set battle 15-13 in the final frame. The Wolves have won six GNAC contests this season, including a sweep over Alaska at home last Thursday. Western Oregon is second in the GNAC in digs this year at 18.99 per set. Christie Colasurdo is fourth in the league at 5.29 per set. Alisha Bettinson is leading the WOU offense in kills averaging 3.42 per set. Paige Orth is the WOU leading blocker at 0.77 per set. Maddie Mehciz leads the team with 10.33 assists per set. The Series: (7-16, 2-8 Away) The Yellowjacket are behind in the overall series, but won the last round against the Wolves. MSUB is 3-2 in the last five matches against WOU, winning the series in 2014, and opening with a win in 2016 at home. Last Time Out: MSU Billings won the match in a five set battle, 15-13 in the final frame. Ward put down 17 kills and Siemion 15. Rodrigues and Ward had nine blocks each. Taylor contributed 20 digs and Cornelio 19. Saturday – Nov. 12 – vs Concordia (Ore) University Cavaliers – 7:00 PM Cavalier Court – Portland, Ore. – Live Video – Live Stats 2016 Record – 13-11, 9-7 GNAC Head Coach: Melanie Hambelton, 8th season The Cavaliers are coming off a four set win over Alaska, but are 1-3 in the last conference matches. Like MSUB, Concordia (Ore.) is looking to finish the GNAC season out on a positive note, starting with hosting Western Oregon this Tuesday. The Cav’s are third in the league in attack percentage at .226 and second at the service line with 1.64 aces per set. Colby Barnette is sixth in the GNAC in attack percentage at .289. Lindsey Dorsey is seventh in kills per set at 3.27 and leads the conference in aces with .48 per set. Michele Brown is third in assists with 11.03 per set. The Series: (0-3, 0-1 Away) Against the GNAC’s newest member, MSUB has lost all three matches to CU. Last year, MSUB lost in three sets at home and fell in five early in the 2016 season. Last Time Out: MSUB fell in a five set match 15-7 in the last frame. Ward finished with a match-high 24 kills and Siemion 17 kills and 16 digs. Jensen posted a season-high 53 assists. --msubsports.com | #JacketNation--