BILLINGS, Mont. – Beginning the second half of Great Northwest Athletic Conference play, The Montana State University Billings volleyball team welcomes the University of Alaska, Anchorage and the University of Alaska, Fairbanks to Alterowitz Gymnasium.
After the non-conference bout with Rocky Mountain College Tuesday night, the Yellowjackets(7-13, 4-6 GNAC)) face off against, University of Alaska Anchorage (14-5, 9-2 GNAC) at 7p.m Thursday, October 24. On Saturday, October 26, MSUB will play the University of Alaska, Fairbanks (9-10, 6-5 GNAC) at 2p.m.
LAST TIME OUT: The Montana State University Billings volleyball team beat back the Rocky Mountain College Battlin' Bears 3-1 (20-25, 25-21, 25-14, 25-15) Tuesday night in Alterowitz Gym. In doing so, MSUB earned the season sweep over Rocky for the first time since 2007. MSUB is now 39-23 all-time against the cross town rival.
BY THE NUMBERS: Coming off their best offensive performance of the year in the win over Rocky, MSUB saw both
Maddi Vigil and
Bayli Monck reach the 200 kill mark in a season. Monck now has 204 kills (2.68/set) and carries a .179 hitting percentage while Vigil has put down 202 kills (2.66/set) and has a .149 hitting percentage.
Joelle Mahowald is the most efficient front line player for MSUB as she leads the team and is eighth in the GNAC with a hitting percentage of .285 and is fourth on the team with 155 kills (2.07/set).
Skylar Reed checks in at number three on the team in terms of kills with 184 (2.42/set) on the year and hitting percentage of .205.
Freshman
Hannah Hashbarger has increased her level of play from the setter position as the year has gone on. She leads the team and is seventh in the GNAC with 571 assists (9.36/set).
Marissa Logozzo heads up the back line for MSUB, leading the team with 270 digs (3.91/set), sixth highest mark in the GNAC. Monck and Vigil each also have over 200 digs, Monck 236 (3.11/set) and Vigil 207 (2.72/per set).
Scouting University of Alaska, Anchorage
Game Day: Thursday, October 24 – 7 p.m.
2019 Record: 14-5 overall, 9-2 GNAC, 7-3 home, 4-2 away, 3-0 neutral
2018 Record: 21-7, 14-6 GNAC, 10-3 home, 9-3 away, 2-1 neutral
Head Coach: Chris Green (12th season)
The number two team in the GNAC, Alaska Anchorage comes to Billings, Mont having won 11 of their last 13 matches, including defeating No. 2 in the nation, Western Washington University 3-1 (25-19, 19-25, 25-20, 26-24) on Oct. 19. They defeated their in-state rival the University of Alaska, Fairbanks 3-2 (20-25, 25-11, 23-25, 25-14, 15-11) this past Tuesday night.
The Seawolves are second in the GNAC with a team hitting percentage of .230 and second in opponent hitting percentage, limiting teams to .162. The team is also second in blocks with 183.5 (2.48/set) and fourth in kills, 903 (12.20/set).
Kayla McGlathery is a force the 'Jackets will have to contend with. She leads the conference in kills with 276 (3.73\set) which is 51 more than anyone else in the entire GNAC. She is also third in the league with a hitting percentage of .334.
Ellen Ford in second in the GNAC in assists with 750 (10.14/set) and UAA boasts the top two servers in the league. Vanessa Hayes has 43 aces on the year (.58/set) and Maggie Schluter has 42 (.057/set).
The Yellowjackets fell to the Seawolves 3-1 (25-23, 19-25, 25-22, 25-10) in Alaska on Sept. 28. Eve Stephens had 22 kills and hit .405 for UAA and the Seawolves peppered 12 aces against the Yellowjackets, including five from Hayes.
MSUB received a strong effort from right side hitter
Reed, who had 13 kills and hit .379. On defense made 13 digs and had three service aces.
"Alaska Anchorage is hot right now," commented head coach
Casey Williams. "They are coming off a good win against #2 WWU and they are looking to continue on that streak. I thought we played decently well when we were in Anchorage a couple of weeks ago and we are ready for a good match up on Thursday."
Scouting University of Alaska, Fairbanks
Game Day: Saturday, October 26 – 2 p.m.
2019 Record: 9-10, 6-5 GNAC, 3-3 home, 3-4 away, 3-3 neutral
2018 Record: 14-13, 12-8 GNAC, 7-3 home, 5-6 away, 2-4 neutral
Head Coach: Brian Scott (5th season)
Coming off the loss to Alaska Anchorage, the Nanooks are currently in fifth place in the GNAC, two games ahead of MSUB.
As a team, the Nanooks are seventh in the GNAC in hitting percentage .185 and allow opponents to hit .178 which is fifth in the conference. A solid front lines gives Alaska the third best mark in the league in blocks with 174 (2.29/set).
Lahra Weber has 204 kills (2.68/set) on the season to spearhead the Nanook's attack. AveRee Reynolds has 147 kills (2.37/set) and Kim Wong has 142 kills (2.49/set).
Makena Overbey heads up Alaska's defense with 284 digs (3.74/set) Cate Whiting is second on the team with 180 digs (2.90/set) and Weber rounds out the top three with 138 digs (2.23) per set.
MSUB fell to UAF on the road Sept. 26 3-2 (25-12, 18-25, 22-25, 25-16, 15-6). Up two sets to one, the 'Jackets struggled in the fourth and fifth sets as UAF came back to claim victory.
"Fairbanks is a team we have always battled with, continued Williams. "Four out of the last five matches we have played against UAF has gone to 5 sets. We are looking forward to it. "
Live stats and video for the two matches can be found
at msubsports.com.
