BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State Billings volleyball team is searching for its first victory of the season as it completes a 13-day trip to Hawaii. The Yellowjackets are scheduled to play at BYU-Hawaii Thursday (7:30 p.m.), at Hawaii Pacific on Friday (7 p.m.), versus Hawaii-Hilo (11 a.m.) and at Chaminade (7:30 p.m.) on Saturday. Game times all are Hawaii time.
BYU-Hawaii will have live stats of the game by accessing http://sports.byuh.edu/public/athletics_web
/xlive.htm. Fans can check with each of the Hawaii school's athletic websites for further information on web streaming and live stat capabilities.
The Yellowjackets enter the second week of the season with a 0-4 mark after four tough losses last week in Hilo. A furious rally came up short in the season opener versus Western New Mexico (3-2) a week ago Thursday. Last Friday, the Yellowjackets couldn't quite shut the door on Hawaii Pacific as they had a 2-0 lead, but lost 3-2. Ashland University downed the Yellowjackets in straight-sets 3-0, while host Hawaii Hilo won 3-1.
Leading the way for the Yellowjackets this season is Brooke Tolman who leads the team with 118 assists. Tolman ranks seventh in the league in assists per game at a 6.94 average. Jen Boe leads the team in kills with 51 and ranks ninth in the league. Morgan Moss leads the team with 64 digs and ranks fifth in the league.
Defensively, Geneva Blunt leads the team with 17 total blocks and three solo blocks.
As a team, the Jackets have struggled hitting to the tune of a .127 percentage which ranks eighth in the league. MSUB is averaging just over nine kills a game and allowing 13.3 kills per game.
BYU-Hawaii enters the week with a 1-3 mark after competing in the Sonoma State Invitational last weekend. The Seasiders' lone victory came against Cal State Stanislaus in the final game of the tournament.
The Seasiders lead the all-time series with MSUB 12-3, including a 3-1 victory last year. BYUH owns a 7-2 record at home and a 5-1 mark in Billings. MSUB won back-to-back matches versus BYUH in 2004, but was just 1-10 prior.
The Yellowjackets are going to look for a bit of revenge versus Hawaii Pacific who battled back from a 2-0 deficit to MSUB last weekend for a 3-2 win. The Sea Warriors went 4-0 last weekend at the Vulcan Classic, losing only four games with two to the Yellowjackets.
Hawaii Pacific finished the 2009 season with a 14-11 record overall and an 11-5 mark in the Pacific West Conference. MSUB defeated HPU 3-2 in the opening game of the 2009 season. The Sea Warriors were picked fourth in the Pac West Preseason Coaches' Poll, but do have the Preseason Conference Player of the Year in Kelly Balanay.
The win last season versus HPU was the first win for MSUB in school history against the Sea Warriors. HPU now owns a 16-1 record against the Yellowjackets. Prior to last season, the team had not played since 2004. In addition, it was the first time MSUB had taken two or more games from HPU. The Sea Warriors had won 24 of 25 games prior. That streak was a span of eight matches.
The Vulcans went 3-1 last weekend in their own tournament. Hawaii Hilo went 25-2 last season and 15-1 in the Pac West before losing to Alaska Anchorage in five sets in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 2009. The host Vulcans were picked second in the preseason coaches' poll behind Dixie State. UHH had two first team Preseason All-Pacific West Conference selections in Kawena Cubi-Otineru and Katie Swenson. Both were second team all-conference selections in 2009.
Hawaii Hilo now leads the all-time series with MSUB 17-11. MSUB leads in Billings 8-7, while Hilo is 9-3 at home and 1-0 in neutral site contests. The Jackets and Vulcans have split the past six meetings, but MSUB has dropped the last three.
Chaminade enters the week with a 1-3 record after four games last week in Golden, Colo. There, the Silverswords won just four games, including a 3-0 win versus Slippery Rock. The Silverswords went 5-21 last season and 3-13 in the Pacific West Conference.
Chaminade leads the all-time series 18-7 and 11-2 in Honolulu. The Silverswords also lead 7-5 in Billings. MSUB has won the last two meetings in the series including a 3-2 win last season.
The Yellowjackets then return home for the 2010 home opener Thurs., Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. versus Northwest Nazarene. Live stats and webstreaming will be available.
