Match 5: MSU Billings 3, Chadron State 0 - Boxscore

Haley Wells came through with a team-high 20 digs, and Ashlynn Ward took off with 11 kills as MSUB downed Chadron State in three-straight sets.
 
Williams led the team with 31 assists, and Anderson had a team-best three block assists for the Yellowjackets.
 
MSUB held an advantage in attack percentage at .217 compared with the Eagles' mark of .102. CSC (0-2) was led by Lelalelei Nomura's nine kills and Justine Ackie's 11 assists.
 
The teams kept pace early on, trading points to start the match. A crafty touch-kill by Anderson followed by two attack errors by Chadron State put MSUB up 6-2.
 
Walter and Andrea Bowers teamed up for back-to-back blocks in the midst of a 5-0 run that put the 'Jackets up 12-7 and provoked an Eagles timeout.
 
CSU failed to give up however, keeping pace with the Yellowjackets through the middle part of the first set. An attack error by the Eagles pushed MSUB in front 21-15, and forced another CSU timeout.
 
Leading 24-15, Williams served and Grimsrud finished the set with a kill for the 'Jackets.
 
MSUB opened the second set with two straight points, as a key combination block by Williams and Anderson helped the 'Jackets secure an early lead.
 
Ward came up with a pair of strong kills for the Yellowjackets, and was a key contributor defensively up front in helping MSUB to a 6-3 advantage in Set 2.
 
For the Eagles, Ashlyn Hanson helped bring the score even at 7-7 with a kill of her own. The play sparked energy for CSU, as the Eagles took four of the next six points for an 11-9 lead.
 
The teams kept pace with one another, moving into the latter stages of the second set tied 22-22. A service error by the Eagles and a big block assist by Ward and Anderson put MSUB within a point of taking the set at 24-22. A wonderful angle shot by Siemion proved to be the deciding factor, as MSUB took a 2-0 lead.
 
With a narrow 6-5 edge in Set 3, Anderson finished a short kill on an assist from Williams to spark a two-point rally and an 8-5 lead. The 'Jackets kept their foot on the gas, extending their lead to 16-10 midway through the set.
 
Holding a 24-20 lead, Siemion drove home the match-winning kill, giving the Yellowjackets their second-straight 3-set victory.
 
UP NEXT: MSUB returns to action Saturday at 11 a.m. against Minot State in Game 7 of the Jackets' Volleyball Classic.

Match 4: Black Hills State 3, University of Mary 1 - Boxscore

Combining for 24 kills, Shelby Mayer and Holly Hamlin helped Black Hills State to a 3-1 victory over the University of Mary in Game 4 of the Jackets' Volleyball Classic. After falling in Set 1, BHSU (1-1) rallied for three-straight victories thanks in large part to 29 assists from Chloe Zimmer and 22 digs from Sydney Ederhoff.

For Mary (0-2), Paige Smith was the team leader with 10 kills while Janell Finkbeiner (21) and Brianne Murray (11) each recorded double-digit assists. Alex Brown had 18 digs for the Marauders, which lost both of their games on Day 1.

Match 3: Minot State 3, Chadron State 1 (25-10; 22-25; 25-20; 25-22) - Boxscore

With a match-high 16 kills by Mallory Sall, Minot State improved to 2-0 in the Jackets' Volleyball Classic, downing Chadron State 3-1 in Game 3 Friday afternoon in Alterowitz Gym. 

Jen Dixon also had double-figure kills with 13, and Emily Byrne topped all players with 37 assists. Dixon was the leader among three Beavers with double-digit digs (21), as Sall had 12 and Byrne had 11. 

For Chadron State (0-1), Erika Roybal had 10 kills and Justine Ackie led the way with 31 assists. Brittany Oddo paced her squad with 16 digs, and Ashlyn Hanson (12) and Ackie (10) also reached double figures in that category.

Minot State takes its 2-0 start into Saturday's 11:30 a.m. game against MSUB. 

Match 2: MSU Billings 3, University of Mary 0 (25-18; 25-17; 25-18) - Boxscore

Monica Grimsrud and Stormy Siemion each had double-digit kills, as Montana State University Billings won its season-opener in three sets over the University of Mary Friday afternoon inside Alterowitz Gym.
 
Grimsrud's 15 terminations led all players, while Siemion was close behind with 11. Kyndal Williams led all players with 34 assists, and as a team the Yellowjackets outhit Mary .193 to .132.
 
The win was the first of the season for MSUB (1-0), and was the second game of the Jackets' Volleyball Classic. Mary fell to 0-1 with the loss, and was led by Lauren Randall who had seven kills on the match. Janell Finkbeiner also had 13 assists for the Marauders.
 
The Yellowjackets jumped to an early 5-0 lead to start the match, as freshman Haley Wells had back-to-back service aces to spark the early rally. The Marauders rallied to grab eight of the next nine points, narrowing the gap.
 
MSUB held command through the first set, capturing a 1-0 advantage with a 25-18 victory.
 
Following a similar pattern in Set 2, the Yellowjackets separated themselves early as a strong kill by Siemion sparked a three-point rally for a 12-6 edge. Grimsrud finished a set by Kyndal Williams several points later, helping MSUB maintain a six-point lead at 14-8.
 
Two-straight kills from senior Chelsey Walter on assists from Williams helped set up game point for the 'Jackets, making the score 24-16. Grimsrud finished the job on a set from Williams giving the Yellowjackets a 2-0 edge.
 
Grimsrud started the third set off with a bang, with a commanding kill to set the tone. MSUB continued to hold a comfortable lead through the beginning of the third set, and Julia Anderson put the 'Jackets up 13-7 with a big kill midway through. The Yellowjackets never looked back, holding on for a 25-18 victory in Game 3 to seal the match.


Match 1: Minot State 3, Black Hills State 0 (31-29; 25-23; 27-25) - Boxscore

Behind a match-high 20 kills from Mallory Sall, Minot State defeated Black Hills State in three-straight sets in Game 1 of the Jackets' Volleyball Classic hosted by Montana State University Billings.

Two of the three sets extended past 25 points, with the Beavers capturing Set 1 31-29 to take an early lead. All three sets were decided by two points, with MSU winning Set 2 25-23 and following with a narrow 27-25 result in the final set to seal the match. 

Black Hills State (0-1) held a slight advantage in attack percentage at .195 compared with Minot State's .186. Meghan Sipe and Danielle Torpey each had 10 kills for the Yellow Jackets, while Chloe Zimmer tallied a team-high 31 assists. Minot State's Emily Byrne led all players with 41 assists on the match.