MSUB hosting SPU and SMU, Senior Day

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu November 3, 2015 Volleyball hosts SPU and SMU, Senior Day

Setter Kyndal Williams and middle blocker Audri Marrs will play their final collegiate home matches this week.

Volleyball on Facebook Volleyball Stack on ISSUU Interviews with seniors Kyndal Williams and Audri Marrs along with head coach Lisa Axel MSU Billings is ready to host its last two matches of the 2015 season as the Yellowjackets welcome Seattle Pacific and Saint Martin’s to Alterowitz Gymnasium this week.

BILLINGS, Mont. – The MSUB Billings volleyball team is home this week for their final two matches of the 2015 season.

The Yellowjackets welcome Seattle Pacific on Thursday, Nov. 5, followed by a match against Saint Martin’s on Saturday, Nov. 7 during this year’s designated Senior Night.

MSU Billings (4-19, 3-11 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) is coming off a tough road trip where the Yellowjackets dropped two matches. This week, MSUB is home against an opponent they defeated earlier in the season, and one that the ‘Jackets took to multiple sets.

FOUR AND FIVE: Junior outside hitter Ashlynn Ward is fourth in the GNAC in kills per set at 3.27 and fifth in points with 3.58. Ward has collected 371 total kills on the season and last week recorded double-digit kills in both matches.

CAREER LISTS: Kyndal Williams has made moves on two all-time lists at MSUB. She has just surpassed Natalie Bills for the No. 2 spot all-time at MSUB in assists with 3,813. Williams is also No. 8 at MSUB in sets played, edging-out Chelsey Walter with 375.

All-Time Career Assists at MSUB Rk. Name Assists 1 Gina Langer 4,354 2 Kyndal Williams 3,813 3 Natalie Bills 3,782 4 Mandi Taylor 1,932 5 Hillary Morrison 1,849

Years Played 1996-99 2012-present 2003-06 2000-01 2007-09

All-Time Sets Played at MSUB Rk. Name Sets Played Years Played 1 Gina Langer 462 1996-99 2 Jody Newberry 458 1996-99 3 Jessica Lechner 416 2005-08 4 Alicia Cazemier 412 2004-07 5 Brandee Sayles 404 1994-97 6 Jessica Bratton 391 2003-06 7 Monica Grimsrud 387 2011-14 8 Kyndal Williams 375 2012-present 9 Chelsey Walter 370 2011-14 DOUBLING UP: Senior Audri Marrs is second on the team in total kills this year with 170 and is first in blocks with 56.

The middle blocker has accumulated 203.5 points for the team this season.

HOME COURT DISADVANTAGE: At 1-8 on their home court this year, the Yellowjackets have struggled to pull out wins in Alterowitz. The team looks to change that as MSU Billings hosts its last two matches on their own floor.

DEFENSE IS KEY: Getting second and third chances at the ball has been a huge component for MSUB this season. Against Saint Martin’s the first time, the ‘Jackets had 52 digs – the team’s second-highest total in a 3-set match this season.

Against Seattle Pacific, MSUB totaled 71 digs – the third highest in a 4-set match.

Thursday, Nov. 7 – 7:00 p.m.

Seattle Pacific University Falcons Head coach: Chris Johnson 2015 record: 6-16, 4-10 GNAC Seattle Pacific is on a 6-match slide, but do host Saint Martin’s this Tuesday as the Falcons will try to add a match to the win column at home in Brougham Pavilion.

SPU’s last win was the 3-1 (23-25, 25-18, 25-21, 25-20) decision against MSUB on Oct. 10. The Yellowjackets took the first set before Seattle Pacific rallied, taking the next three.

Freshman middle blocker Shaun Crespi has been moving up the ranks for SPU this season and is now the leader in attack percentage for the Falcons hitting .211 on the year. Sophomore outside hitter Lexi Biondi is still first in total kills with 213 and is averaging 3.18 kills per set.

Last time in Seattle against MSUB, Biondi went for career-highs with 27 kills on a .458 hitting percentage.

Symone Tran leads the team in assists averaging 9.26 per set, but last week SPU went to a 6-2 offense with freshman Molly Langdon coming in to bolster the team. Sophomore Colleen Hannigan came in on the outside for the added hitter.

Libero Breanne Wiekamp is third in the GNAC in digs averaging 5.53 per set. Wiekamp had 31 in the match against MSUB while setter Tran recorded 53 assists – her career high.

Seattle Pacific is hitting .130 as a team for ninth in the conference.

Last Time Out: MSUB won the first set 25-23 before the Falcons made some crucial adjustments, taking control of the next three sets. Ward (14) and Taylor Albertson (13) both finished with double-digit kills. Williams contributed 41 assists.

MSUB was led on defense by Taylor Sherman who ended the night with a career-high 19 digs.

The Series: (9-27, H 6-8) MSU Billings is 9-27 all-time against the Falcons, but a closer 6-8 at home. The Yellowjackets dropped their last match against SPU this season, but were coming off a 3-0 victory on the road from last year.

Saturday, Nov. 9 – 7:00 p.m.

Saint Martin’s University Saints Head coach: Kara Peterson 2015 record: 2-18, 1-13 GNAC The Saints are on an 11-match slide with the team’s only conference win this season a 5-set battle against Western Oregon back on Sept. 24. Outside hitter Julia Wabinga leads the team with 2.86 kills per set. Middle blocker Kyra Davidson is averaging 2.02 kills and leads the team in blocks with 80. Setter Cassandra Fenton is averaging 6.32 assists per set. Libero Elizabeth Colon is sixth in the league in digs with 4.19 per set.

The Saints are hitting .093 for the year but are ranked eighth in the conference in blocks with 1.90 per set.

Last Time Out: MSUB took care of business with a 3-0 sweep on the road. Marrs hit .600 in the match (10-1-15) with only one error on the night. Williams had 36 assists. Sherman led the team in digs with 12. The team hit .419 (15-2-31) in the final set where the Yellowjackets finished the match with a dominate 25-16 final score performance.

The Series: (15-4, 8-1) MSUB holds a 15-4 all-time record against SMU. The Yellowjackets have only dropped one match against the Saints at home which came in in a straight sets loss in 2013.

THE BUZZ: Before the match on Saturday, MSUB will honor its two seniors Kyndal Williams and Audri Marrs in a short pregame ceremony before the 7:00 p.m. tip-off. msubsports.com | #JacketNation--