By: Andrew Bonner, Associate Athletic Director for Operations & Communications
Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 SPEARFISH, South Dak. – The Montana State University Billings Yellowjacket volleyball team drop their first two matches of the Yellow Jacket Classic, losing the second match is heart-breaking fashion in the fifth set.
GAME 1 – MSU Billings vs Northern St.
In game 1 of the Yellow Jacket Classic hosted by Black Hills State University, the MSUB Yellowjackets (2-3) were defeated by the Northern State University Wolves (4-1) by a score of 3-1 (25-11, 25-19, 21-25, 25-14). The Jackets were led in kills by
Paiten Langston with 8, followed by freshmen
Julia Gordon and
Bailey Nichols, each with 7.
The Jackets got off to a slow start, dropping the first set 25-11. MSUB Head Coach Casey Bonner switched up the line up in the second set, and quickly saw improvement before dropping the set 25-19. In the 3
rd set, the Yellowjackets found themselves down 16-12, but quickly stole momentum behind a 6-point service run from
Emma Fa'alogo to take a 19-16 lead. The freshman setter registered two aces in the match, while notching the first double-double of her career with 13 assists and 10 digs. Senior setter
Hailey Carroll completed the exciting 3
rd set with back-to-back aces as the Jackets were rolling heading into the 4
th set. However, the fourth set saw the Wolves get off to a quick start as they led 10-2. After a timeout by Bonner, her team got within 15-10 but unfortunately fell 3-1 in the first of four matches in Spearfish, SD.
Christine Funk, who currently sits 4
th in NCAA DII with 6.0 digs per set, led the back row with 21 digs in the match. Carroll and Fa'alogo led the Jackets offense with 13 assists each which is a new career high for the freshman in only the second appearance of her young career. Langston led the Jackets with 8 kills and only 2 errors – good for a .286 hitting %. Gordon and Nichols both had 7 kills, followed by
Olivia Schwartz with 5 and
Aubrey Allison with 4.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
THE BUZZ: Emma Fa'alogo is named the Intermountain Health Player of the Game. Fa'alogo notched her first career double-double, finishing with 13 assists and 10 digs.
GAME 2 – MSU Billings vs Black Hills State
In game 2 of the Yellow Jacket Classic, the MSU Billings Yellowjackets (2-4) lost a 5-set heartbreak to Black Hills State (4-2). In a battle of the Yellowjackets (or, Yellow Jackets, per BHSU), MSUB won the first two sets in dominant fashion (25-16, 25-17) before BHSU found their rhythm and won the next two (25-11, 25-15), eventually forcing a fifth and deciding set. The home Jackets, BHSU, eventually won the deciding set 15-13 in a back-and-forth battle that had a slew of replay reviews and long-discussed calls.
In the first two sets, the 'Jackets strong serves often held BHSU out-of-system en route to a .078 hitting % for them. However, the script flipped in sets three & four, as BHSU's offense stole the momentum away and slowed down the 'Jackets attack. The first four sets of the match were non-competitive which left a lot for the imagination as the deciding fifth set was to come. Black Hills State jumped out to a 5-2 lead but the Jackets would battle back and tie the score at 12-12. After an 'out' call, the Jackets celebrated as they thought they went up 13-12, but a replay challenge review ended up overturning the controversial call in favor of the home team, allowing them to be two points away from victory. MSUB fought off one match point to get within 14-13, but an eventual error on the Jackets would allow Black Hills State to come away with the victory.
The two-and-a-half-hour match allowed for the box score to be filled up with plenty of names and stats.
Aubrey Allison led the Yellowjackets with a match-high 11 kills while hitting .243%. The freshman outside also tallied 12 digs to notch a double-double.
Paiten Langston had 9 kills and 4 blocks, followed by
Julia Gordon with 8 kills and
Olivia Schwartz with 7.
Hailey Carroll controlled much of the offense as she led the way with 25 assists. Junior libero
Christine Funk, who has been outstanding this season, once again led the Yellowjackets with 22 digs and adding 2 service aces.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
THE BUZZ: Aubrey Allison is the Intermountain Health Player of the Game. Allison finished with a double-double, tallying 11 kills and 12 digs and adding two service aces.
HEAR FROM COACH BONNER: "We had some great moments today and showed how great we can be when we get everything to click. We had a sluggish start in the morning but got it figured out eventually. We played a close but heart-breaking match to BHSU later in the day, but we are looking forward to getting back out there tomorrow and competing before GNAC play begins next weekend."
UP NEXT: The Yellowjackets come back tomorrow for two more games to wrap up the Yellowjacket Classic in Spearfish, SD. The Jackets will play at 9 AM vs University of Mary before finishing the tournament at 3 PM vs South Dakota Mines.
