FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu October 27, 2016 Yellowjacket spikers fall 3-0 to No. 11 Seawolves MSUB Volleyball on Facebook | MSUB Volleyball Stack on ISSUU | Box Score
Casey Rich led the Yellowjacket team in blocks at Alaska Anchorage.
MSU Billings stays close in the opening set, but nationally-ranked Alaska Anchorage able to pull away, delivering a 3-0 loss to the Yellowjackets in Anchorage. ANCHORAGE, Alaska. – MSUB kept it tight against No. 11 Alaska Anchorage in the opening set early, but the Yellowjackets ran into a sharp momentum surge from the Seawolves in the middle of the match as MSUB fell in three sets 25-16, 25-11, and 25-12 Thursday at the Alaska Airlines Center. MSU Billings (4-19, 2-11 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) opened the match playing point-for-point with Alaska Anchorage (23-2, 13-1 GNAC), but ran into a Seawolves team that tightened up their performance to easily move through the later sets for the win and deliver the loss to the Yellowjackets. “This was a disappointing loss for us tonight,” MSUB head coach Casey Williams said. “We didn’t compete very well and a tough time matching-up with their size and aggressiveness.”
Ashlynn Ward finished with nine kills on a .240 (9-3-25) attack percentage. The outside hitter also had six digs and a block for MSUB. Stormy Siemion recorded five kills and led the team with 10 digs. Casey Rich had two of the four block assists in the match for the ‘Jackets. Angala Jensen had 11 assists and Mataia Robinson seven. Faith Taylor had nine digs. For UAA, Chrisalyn Johnson had a double-double of 13 kills and 11 digs. Kyla Militante-Amper completed 10 digs. Morgan Hooe posted 28 assists. At the net, Vanessa Hayes had four blocks and Johnson three. The No. 11 Seawolves hit .376 in the match, holding MSUB to .053. The Seawolves also served up seven service aces against the ‘Jackets. The Yellowjackets kept pace with the Seawolves through the opening 10 points of the first frame. Siemion earned a point on a kill from an assist by Robinson to pull the ‘Jacket within one, 10-9. UAA began to draw out a lead with a 5-1 run capped by a double block from Johnson and Hayes. Ward earned two points for MSUB on a crosscourt attack and a well-placed tip shot to the outside corner. The Seawolves kept in command for the reminder of the set, taking a 1-0 lead on a 9-5 final push. Alaska Anchorage took control early in the middle frame, jumping out to a 10-3 advantage. Rich had back-to-back points to drop the deficit in half for the ‘Jackets. A kill by Johnson redoubled the UAA lead at 16-8 on a back set from Hooe. Ward rolled a ball off the block to send MSUB’s score into double digits. A UAA error broke up the Seawolves’ offense, but Swiss was able to complete the second set on a solo block The final set followed a similar pattern to the second frame. On a long rally with two great defensive plays from Kylee Cornelio, Siemion finished a point with a hard shot to the center of the court. Miranda McConnell turned around in the center of the net, to tap a ball over and put MSUB behind 13-7. The Seawolves climbed to a 21-10 lead on a kill from Braun. MSUB’s Bre Rodrigues countered with a kill down the right side line. Diana Fa'amausil had the last point for UAA. UP NEXT: MSU Billings heads north to Fairbanks for a conference match against the Alaska Nanooks on Saturday, Oct. 29, beginning at 7 p.m. AKST. --msubsports.com | #JacketNation--