Jacket Volleyball Off to Arkansas Tourney (8/24/05)

BILLINGS, MT – The Montana State-Billings volleyball team embarks on a new course this weekend when they play four matches at the Arkansas Tech Invitational in Russellville, AR.  Of the Yellowjackets’ 26 matches in 2005, 15 of them will be against opponents they have never met before.  That includes the four season-opening matches in Arkansas.  MSU Billings will face Fort Valley State (GA) and Arkansas Tech on Friday, and Missouri Western and Texas A&M Kingsville on Saturday. 

Fort Valley State is picked to finish last in the Eastern Division of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.  The Wildcats do return a pair of Preseason All-SIAC players in Deborah Jones and Chandesha Billings.  Jones was a first team All-SIAC selection last year after leading the team in hitting percentage and blocks.

Arkansas Tech is picked to finish fourth in the West Division of the Gulf South Conference.  The Golden Suns were 13-17 overall last year.  They return four starters, including All-Gulf South selection Kelly Allums who had 444 kills in 2004.

Missouri Western is picked to finish eighth in the nine-team Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association.  The Griffins were 13-15 overall last season.

Texas A&M Kingsville is picked to finish fifth in the South Division of the Lone Star Conference.  The Javelinas were 10-21 in 2004 and return just three players.  Shaday Smith returns after leading the team in kills and attack percentage.

Along with a new look schedule, MSU Billings will have a new look to the roster in 2005.  Just four players return from last season’s team that finished a program-best 14-11.  But those four returning players all played key roles last season.  Jessica Bratton (Jr., Casper, WY), Natalie Bills (Jr., Provo, UT) and Alicia Cazemier (So., Vauxhall, Alberta) were all starters in 2004, and Alexas Sandru (Jr., Twin Bridges, MT) saw significant time off the bench.  Bratton and Bills were each All-PacWest honorable mention selections.

The Jackets have five newcomers on the roster, led by junior transfer Ali Watson (Calgary, Alberta).  Watson was a NJCAA All-America selection last year at Sheridan College where she set the school record for kills in a season. 

Following the tournament in Arkansas, the Yellowjackets play eight more road matches before opening at home.  They will travel to the Colorado School of Mines Invitational on September 2-3, and to the Montana-Western Invitational in Dillon on September 9-10.  The Jackets open their home schedule on September 16 when they host St. Mary’s University in the Heartland Conference opener.