August 24, 2007

MSUB Volleyball Splits on Opening Day
MSUB/UNO Box Score
MSUB/UM Box Score
MSUB Season Stats
Coach Schaub Post Game Audio

OMAHA, Neb. – Montana State Billings bounced back from a season-opening loss Friday afternoon to salvage a split on the first day of the University of Nebraska-Omaha Classic.  The Jackets lost to host Nebraska-Omaha 32-30, 30-16, 30-17 in the season opener for both teams before handing University of Mary a three-game sweep, 30-26, 30-28, 30-23.

In the early afternoon game, 18th-ranked Nebraska-Omaha jumped to a 7-1 lead in game one and held on for the 32-30 win.  The Jackets rallied from down 29-25 to tie the game at 29, but a pair of kills from Carlie Christensen carried the Mavs to the win. 

UNO rebounded from the early scare to cruise to the 3-0 sweep.  The Mavericks broke away from a 10-10 tie in the second game to win going away.  After several UNO errors propelled MSUB to an 8-4 lead in the third game, the Mavericks regrouped out of a timeout to go on an 8-1 run to reclaim the momentum.  A Yellowjacket timeout at 12-9 couldn’t stem the tide as the Mavericks went on an 18-8 run to close the match.

The Jackets’ offense struggled, posting a -.008 attack percentage for the match.  Devon Crotteau (Casper, Wyo.) led MSUB with seven kills, but she also had nine errors on 35 attempts.  Jennifer Boe (Casper, Wyo.) and Alicia Cazemier (Vauxhall, Alberta) each had six kills.  Stefania Aladjova (Sofia, Bulgaria) handed out 19 assists and picked up seven digs.  Crotteau and Nicole Kruse (Huntley) led MSUB with nine digs apiece.

The Mavs hit a solid .262 for the match.  Niclole McLeod had a match-high 11 kills.  Christensen had 10 kills and was in on six blocks.  Katie Agnew dished 37 assists, and Kayla Jansen had 17 digs.

In the Jackets’ evening affair with the Marauders, MSUB won three closely contested matches to even their record at 1-1.  The Yellowjackets trailed early in all three games before rallying for wins.  In the first game, they used a 5-0 run to overcome an 8-7 deficit.  In game two, the Jackets pulled away after trailing 4-3. 

In the final game, the Marauders rolled to a 5-1 lead out of the gates, but it was short lived.  MSUB regained the lead for good at 8-7 and never looked back.  Aladjova dropped in four services aces in the third game, and Cazemier had seven kills.

Cazemier, Boe and Crotteau were dominating at the net in the sweep.  Cazemier rebounded from a poor hitting match earlier in the day to pound out 16 kills on a .433 attack percentage.  Boe and Crotteau each knocked down 14 kills with efficiency.  Boe hit at a .344 clip, and Crotteau had a .231 attack percentage.

Jessica Lechner (Pompeys Pillar) added seven kills on a .462 attack percentage and was in on three block assists.  Crotteau had four block assists and was the Jackets’ leading blocker on the day with seven.  Aladjova handed out 46 assists and buried six service aces.  Kruse had a match-high 17 digs.

The Yellowjackets wrap up the tourney on Saturday with matches against Colorado State-Pueblo and Minnesota State Moorhead.  The CSU-Pueblo match starts at 11 a.m. CDT, and the Moorhead match is scheduled for 1 p.m.  Live stats for both matches can be viewed by clicking HERE.