Montana State University Billings Athletics

BURNABY, B.C. – The Montana State University Billings volleyball team was at the doorstep in all three sets, but the 'Jackets took a 3-0 (19-25, 21-25, 19-25) loss to Simon Fraser in Burnaby, B.C. on Thursday night.
 
"We put in a lot of effort tonight," MSUB head coach Casey Williams said. "It was inconsistent and choppy. Hannah Hayden had a great night and played a really awesome match. I was super impressed with the way that she came out tonight. We are ready to get back out there on Saturday."
 
The Yellowjackets (7-10, 3-5 GNAC) were led by Bayli Monck's nine kills and nine digs, seven kills from Skylar Reed and six from Hannah Hayden, who earned St. Vincent Player of the Game honors.
 
QUICK HITS

• Bayli Monck led the 'Jackets with nine kills and nine digs, the latter of which was second to Christine Funk's 15 digs.
• Skylar Reed added seven kills, an assist and a dig.
• Hannah Hashbarger ran the offense to the tune of 25 assists, plus a team-high two service aces.
• Freshman middle blocker Mikayla Yore made the start, tied her career high with three kills and set a new career high with three solo blocks (four total).

 
MATCH STATS

• MSUB hitting: .105 overall (.061 set one, .073 set two, .194 set three)
• Simon Fraser hitting: .222 overall (.200 set one, .104 set two, .412 set three)
• Service aces: MSUB 3, SFU 9
• Digs: MSUB 51, SFU 54
• Blocks: MSUB 6.0, SFU 7.0
• Simon Fraser was led by Jocelyn Sherman's 14 kills and 8 digs.

 
Strong play in the middle from Mikayla Yore and Hannah Hayden got the Yellowjackets fired up early, as the latter put MSUB ahead 4-3 with her first kill of the night, then tied the game at five-all with another swing. Both teams kept it close until SFU went on a 7-1 run, interrupted only by a tip at the net from Skylar Reed.
 
Out of the timeout, a kill from Yore and back-to-back service aces from Hannah Hashbarger helped MSUB reel in Simon Fraser, albeit for a moment. SFU kept MSUB at arm's length with a five-point lead; the 'Jackets got on the board thanks to kills from Olivia Schwartz, plus a kill and a block from Hayden. Consecutive errors from SFU out of the timeout pulled MSUB within four, 23-19, yet SFU went on to win the next two points to take the first set.
 
In the second, Monck and Yore teamed up for a block, then Monck's second kill gave the 'Jackets a strong start. But SFU bolted ahead to a 10-3 lead. MSUB responded with a 4-1 run of its own, punctuated by a block from Hayden and Schwartz, then Schwartz's third kill of the night.
 
As SFU threatened to pull away, Yore gave the MSUB bench life with a kill and a block on back-to-back plays to pull the 'Jackets within three at 13-10. Yore then tied her career-high with a third kill, then Makayla Baca kept the point alive with a diving, over-her-shoulder dig that kept the play long enough for Monck to pull MSUB within two, 16-14. SFU went on a 4-0 run to keep its distance, but three-straight kills from Reed brought MSUB back within three at 23-20. SFU would win the third set 25-21.
 
A bad serve from SFU plus two kills from Monck kept things close early before SFU went on a 4-0 run. The 'Jackets rallied thanks to two kills from Hannah Hayden, and then MSUB broke through with a swing from Monck to take a 13-12 lead. Although MSUB hung with the home team, SFU went on a late run to take back the lead, prompting a timeout from the 'Jackets as they trailed 18-14.
 
Out of the timeout, the second time was the charm for Reed; SFU couldn't get a good read on Reed's tip and MSUB pulled within three, as the junior willed the 'Jackets back into the game with a pair of kills. MSUB would have one last gasp with two more kills from Monk and another block from Yore, but the 'Jackets would fall in the third set, 25-19.
 
THE BUZZ: Hannah Hayden was the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game for her six kills and two blocks (one solo)…her six kills ties her season-high.
 
UP NEXT: MSUB drives south to Bellingham, Wash. to take on Western Washington on Saturday at 8 p.m. MT. Links to live stats and video can be found on msubsports.com.