BURNABY, B.C. - The Montana State University Billings volleyball team fell in straight sets (25-14, 25-17, 25-19) to Great Northwest Athletic Conference opponent Simon Fraser University on Thursday.
The Yellowjackets couldn't find an answer for Simon Fraser's (10-12, 6-8 GNAC) steady presence. All three sets were close for the first 10 points, but the Clan pulled away in each frame during the final points using a combination of good blocking and sound defense to push MSU Billings (4-18, 3-10 GNAC) back and away.
MSUB's
Ashlynn Ward broke an opening 10-10 tie with a roll shot to the back court for a point. A service error from the Yellowjackets started a run of seven unanswered points from SFU before an answering service error put the ball back in MSUB's hands.
SFU's Emmy Jennings pushed the score to 17 with a high swing on a feed from Tamara Nipp. One from Madison Power and another point from Jennings opened up a 20-12 lead.
Abbie Mikelson took a shot after a good ball from
Taylor Sherman and
Audri Marrs added one in the middle for MSUB, but the Clan remained in firm control of the first set taking it 25-14 for a 1-0 lead.
The Yellowjackets took a slight opening lead in the second frame. Ward connected for a kill, but Danielle Curtis served up a SFU service ace and Nipp put down a setter's dump for 6-4.
Kyndal Williams returned the favor three points later to knot the score at seven.
The Clan racked up six points, but
Stormy Siemion used a roll shot to the open court to draw the Yellowjackets to within four, 18-14. Ward ended a long rally on a hard shot crosscourt for 20-16
SFU's Devon May provided two of the last three kills for the Clan, ending the frame 25-17.
MSUB again battled in the first third of the set. A block from Williams and Marrs put the Yellowjackets up early 7-6. SFU fought back, including picking up three points off the swing of Tessa May.
Williams used her fourth set dump of the match for a kill at 15-11. A block from
Miranda McConnell and Mikelson held the Clan back to within three 16-13. A kill from Ward pulled MSUB to within two, 18-16. Into the final points of the match, Ward added her 10
th kill of the match, but Simon Fraser held tight ending with a block from Power and Jennings.
Ward finished with a team-high 10 kills for MSUB. Marrs added seven. In the libero position for the Yellowjackets, Sherman collected a team-high 16 digs while Siemion added 11. Williams ended the night with 26 assists.
MSUB finished on a .131 attack percentage with Simon Fraser ending the night at .299. MSUB was outscored in kills (49-32), assists (45-31), digs (68-54) and blocks (8.0-3.0).
Tessa May (13) and Power (12) combined for 25 of the Clan's 49 kills. Tessa May also had five blocks. Devon May and Curtis both collected a service ace. Libero Alison McKay finished with a match-high 22 digs with Curtis at 11. Jennings was just short of a double-double with nine kills and 10 digs.
THE BUZZ: Sherman selected the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Match with 16 digs, two assists and the team's single service ace...Marrs collected the second highest points in the match for MSUB with 7.5...McConnell and Mikelson both had two blocks for the Yellowjackets.
UP NEXT: MSUB heads south for the second match of the season against Western Washington. The Vikings are ranked No. 16 in this week's AVCA poll. WWU beat Simon Fraser in four sets on Tuesday.
