FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu October 1, 2016
No. 10 Seawolves sink 'Jackets MSUB Volleyball on Facebook | MSUB Volleyball Stack on ISSUU | Box Score
Stormy Siemion led MSUB with nine kills adding in 16 digs against Alaska Anchorage.
The Yellowjacket volleyball team plays with high energy against No. 10 Alaska Anchorage, falling in three sets to the visiting Seawolves. BILLINGS, Mont. – The Yellowjackets fought hard against the visiting No. 10 Alaska Anchorage Seawolves as MSU Billings fell in three sets 25-20, 25-21, and 25-18 Saturday during a Great Northwest Athletic Conference match at Alterowitz. No player from either team produced double-digit kills, but UAA pulled ahead on attack percentage, limiting their errors at the net and playing solid defense in the front and back court. MSU Billings was a step behind in all three sets, but made them competitive, rallying to tie the score several times in the late parts of the match. “I think that we competed well against one of the top GNAC teams,” MSUB head coach Casey Williams said. “I think that our energy was better than it has been the last couple of weeks. Our defense was scrappy and we picked up some tough balls. In the end, our offense had too many errors and we weren’t able to overcome that deficit.”
MSU Billings recorded 57 digs in the match. Kylee Cornelio led the effort posting 17. Stormy Siemion had 16 and led the team in kills with a match-tying high of nine. Mataia Robinson produced her second career double-double with 10 digs and 15 assists. Angala Jensen had 11 assists. The Yellowjackets were just one block behind Alaska Anchorage 7.0-6.0. Casey Rich and Ashlynn Ward led the ‘Jackets with three block assists each. Ward also had eight kills and seven digs on the night. Lexa de Jesus led the team with a .231 attack percentage finishing with six kills on 13 attempts. For the No. 10 Seawolves, Leah Swiss finished with nine kills and 13 digs. Libero Kyla Militante-Amper recorded a matchhigh 21 digs for UAA, adding in five assists. Diana Fa’amausili had eight kills and Chrisalyn Johnson added seven. Setter Morgan Hooe had 29 assists, eight digs, six kills, and a service ace for UAA. The victory improves Alaska Anchorage to 16-1 and 6-0 in GNAC competition as the No. 10 Seawolves advance their win streak to 15. Montana State University Billings drops to 2-13 on the year and 1-5 in league play. A big block from Miranda McConnell and de Jesus set-up a kill from Ward for the opening Yellowjacket point of the match. A perfectly placed kill down the right side line from de Jesus gave the ‘Jackets an early lead. The Seawolves tied it with a kill from Erin Braun. An attack from Siemion and an error from UAA pushed the Yellowjackets ahead. The teams were deadlocked again at 10 and 15. Rich tied the set at 18 with a service ace for the ‘Jackets. Swiss answered, giving the Seawolves the lead by one with a kill off the outside block. UAA committed a service error, but countered the misstep with a kill from Fa’amausili followed by a block by the freshman for a 21-19 lead. An ace from Hooe earned the Seawolves a set point and Fa’amausili finished the frame with a kill off a short back set from the senior. The second frame was tight from the beginning. Three straight errors from the Yellowjackets popped UAA ahead 9-6. An offensive dual at the tape and off-speed kill from Siemion broke up an Alaska Anchorage run. Fa’amausili charged the net for an additional UAA point. Siemion won the ball back again for the ‘Jackets on a nice strike down the line. The Seawolves pulled ahead 18-10 on a 5-2 run aided by a good service game from Militante-Amper. Ward came out of the back row, finding the open court to pound a ball home. De Jesus followed that up with a point from the right side. Faith Taylor made a big defensive move to save an attack and MSUB won the point on a block from Ward and Rich. Jensen aided the Yellowjacket run with an attack out of the middle to pull the ‘Jackets within three, 20-17. Johnson and Hooe earned points for UAA on the attack. Swiss cleared a point on a long defensive-minded rally from both teams. Fighting back, Siemion capitalized on a float serve, putting up a strong block on the outside. The senior saved a set point with a kill off the block. A long attack from Hooe was the second set winner for UAA. In the third frame, de Jesus forced a ball through the block and a service ace from Siemion that clipped the tape and rolled over were the opening MSUB points. Kills from Swiss, Johnson, and Vanessa Hayes evened the early score at four. Ward and Rich put-up a double block for MSUB. Johnson tooled a ball into the hands of Rich, but Ward countered with a similar move to take the lead for MSUB 8-7. UAA powered ahead on a kill followed by a service ace from Johnson. Siemion earned the side out for MSUB with a roll shot to the back court. A big kill from Fa’amausili and two attacks from MSUB that were on the outside of the antennae kept Alaska Anchorage ahead. Ward tipped the ball to the open court just behind the net and Siemion pounded a ball
home to keep MSUB in the set. McConnell tried a ball in the middle that came back over, but Siemion was there with an attack to the far back court. A short serve from Hooe set-up a kill from Swiss for an UAA match point. Fa’amausili finished the set with a kill off the block for the win. THE BUZZ: Cornelio named the St. Vincent Healthcare Athlete of the Match. UP NEXT: The Yellowjackets return to the road for two conference matches taking on Seattle Pacific on Oct. 6, followed by a match at Saint Martin’s on Oct. 8. --msubsports.com | #JacketNation--