MSU Billings faces No. 15 WW and SFU at home

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Birgitta Gray O: (406) 896-5917 E: birgitta.gray@msubillings.edu September 29, 2015 ‘Jackets at home against No. 15 Vikings and Simon Fraser MSUB Volleyball on Facebook Interviews with Kimmy Kirk and head coach Lisa Axel MSUB Volleyball Stack on ISSUU

Ashlynn Ward pounded down 26 kills for the Yellowjackets last week.

MSUB picks up a conference win and this week hosts No. 15 Western Washington and Simon Fraser at home.

BILLINGS, Mont. – After picking up their first Great Northwest Athletic Conference win last week, the Yellowjackets are set to host two conference matches at home. MSUB is hoping build some momentum after a 4-set victory last week in Alaska.

On Thursday, MSU Billings (2-10, 1-3 GNAC) dropped a 3-set match against No. 11 Alaska Anchorage, but came right back on the road in Fairbanks, hammering out a 4-set win over the Nanooks.

“We definitely did not show up very much against the Anchorage team and we spent a lot of time thinking about how we can regroup and come back up and have a strong showing in Fairbanks and I think we did,” MSUB head coach Lisa Axel said. “We focused more on our side of the court then what the other team was doing, and we made sure that we cleaned-up a little bit of stuff on our side of the court too.”

“I am really proud of our team, especially in that second set,” Axel continued. “I think we were down 24-22 and we had to battle back and play point-for-point there at the end and they found a way to pull it out. I thought we did a great job pulling out that game. In the fourth set, our team really started to click, and we finally put an entire set together, so I am very proud of our athletes for doing that.”

ON THE MOVE: The Yellowjackets may have lost a short match to the Seawolves, but the team rebounded with a solid win over the Nanooks. After falling 25-15 in the third set, MSUB came out in force for the fourth frame, running up the score 7-0 and finishing off Fairbanks at an impressive 25-14. The team hit .423 in the fourth set (12-1-26), committing just one error in the last 39 points of the match.

WARD ON THE OUTSIDE: Since making the move to outside attacker this season, junior Ashlynn Ward has gone back and forth, but for the last four matches for the ‘Jackets she has led the team in kills, including topping 20 against UAF. She also has come up at the net, leading the team in blocks against the Nanooks with a season-high five.

DOUBLING UP: Senior setter Kyndal Williams completed her third double-double of the season last Saturday in her first match since the opening season’s tournaments. Williams dished up 40 assists against Fairbanks and in a strong showing from the back court led the team in digs with 12.

Seniors #7 Audri Marrs and #4 Kyndal Williams

MARRS MOMENTUM: Senior Audri Marrs was just behind Ward in points contributed to the team in MSUB’s last match.

The middle blocker looks more and more comfortable in the Yellowjackets system, and had her best night in a MSUB uniform against Alaska since the Route 92 tournament in California. Marrs hit .438 against the Nanooks (9-2-16) and came up with three blocks.

BACK COURT BRANCHING OUT: It has been a combined effort for the Yellowjackets in the defensive court this season.

Six different players have been the match-high contributor in digs as MSUB has mixed up its rotations and defenses working on getting the right combination.

Thursday, Oct. 1 – 7:00 p.m.

Alterowitz Gymnasium Live Video and Stats No. 15 Western Washington University Vikings Head Coach Diane Flick – 16th season 2015 record – 10-2, 4-0 GNAC Last season, the Yellowjackets pulled off a huge upset at home with a 5-set (16-25, 25-20, 26-24, 17-25, and 15-13) thrilling victory over then No. 11 Western Washington. It was the biggest win in the history of the MSUB volleyball program and once again MSU Billings will be up against a Vikings team that is playing hot.

Western Washington is coming into Billings this year on an 8match win streak. The Vikings opened the conference season with straight set wins over Saint Martin’s and Seattle Pacific before taking two contests against Central Washington and Northwest Nazarene last week- both in 5-sets. WWU is tied with Alaska Anchorage at the top of the conference at 4-0.

On Monday, Western Washington stayed at No. 15 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll. The Vikings have beaten three nationally-ranked teams this season, including the No. 1 team in the country this week – Minnesota-Duluth.

Senior Rachel Roeder just picked up her third consecutive GNAC Offensive Player of the Week accolade this season. The outside hitter completed 36 kills, eight digs, and six blocks in the wins against CWU and NNU. Also earning a conference honor last week was Defensive Player of the Week Kayleigh MSUB libero Kimmy Kirk Harper. The Vikings redshirt freshman middle blocker stuffed down 19 blocks and had 20 kills during WWU’s victories.

Harper is ranked third in the GNAC and ninth in the nation in blocks per set with 1.41.

Roeder leads the team in attack percentage at .283 (141-38-364), but just behind her on the right side is Jenica McPherson who is attacking at a .270 (75-25-185) clip.

This year, Bryce Larson has stepped into the role of libero for the Vikings where she is averaging 3.91 digs per set.

Largely running a 6-2 offense this season, the setting duties have been split between redshirt freshman Brette Boesel (6.32 assists per set) and Kristina Tribley (4.89 assists per set).

Western Washington is third in the GNAC in hitting percentage (.227) and digs (16.00 per set) and second in assists (12.27 per set) and kills (13.16 per set). Before the Vikings step onto the court in Billings on Thursday, they will host Simon Fraser at home.

The Series: (1-18) The last four matches between MSUB and WWU have been with the Vikings being ranked in the top11 teams in the nation. Last season’s win against the Vikings stopped a 17-match losing streak and was the first win for MSUB in the program’s series against WWU. Saturday, Oct. 3 – 7:00 p.m.

Alterowitz Gymnasium Live Video and Stats Simon Fraser University the Clan Head Coach – Gina Schmidt 2015 record – 6-6. 2-2 GNAC Simon Fraser has a big week ahead of them. On Tuesday, the Clan will play at No. 15 Western Washington before making the trip to Billings for a match against the Yellowjackets on Saturday.

The Clan sits at an even 2-2 in the conference. Simon Fraser began the season with wins over Seattle Pacific and Saint Martin’s, but last week dropped matches to Northwest Nazarene and Central Washington on the road. SFU is in the middle of a 4-match road trip that will end with MSUB on Saturday night.

Freshman Tessa May is having a standout season for the Clan. The 6’3” middle blocker is third in the conference in hitting percentage at .335 (116-24-275) and fourth in blocks per set at 1.24.

Outside hitter Devon May leads the team in kills with 3.07 per set with Christine Howlett putting down 2.71. Another team in the GNAC moving to a power 6-2 offense this season, the Clan is using 5’9” redshirt junior Tamara Nipp (5.63 assists per set) and 5’8” redshirt senior Danielle Curtis (5.05 assists per set) to run their front line.

In the back, junior libero Alison McKay is second in the conference in digs at 5.80 per set.

Simon Fraser has a low team attack percentage at .129 for 10th in the conference, but they are strong on defense limiting opponents to .155 hitting (third-best in the GNAC) and are atop the conference in digs at 17.22 per set.

The Series: (6-6) MSUB is an even 6-6 against the Clan. The last three meetings between the two programs have all gone five sets with Simon Fraser coming out the victor. Prior to that, the Yellowjackets had won six consecutive matches – all in straight sets. MSUB does hold a 4-1 record against SFU at home, not losing a match in Alterowitz until last season.

This week the MSU Billings volleyball team is sponsoring two special events to go along with match play. Thursday’s contest against No. 15 Western Washington has been designated Student Night with prizes being given out during the night’s action including t-shirts and other MSUB volleyball gear. Saturday’s event is a new addition to the MSUB volleyball program and has been selected as this season’s Super Hero Night. All fans are encouraged to wear Super Hero costumes and inspired-outfits. A costume contest will be held during the match and a winner will be given a prize with various other prizes being given out throughout the night.

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