MSU Billings sweeps Sunday pair in South Dakota

SPEARFISH, S.D. – Bayli Monck slammed down the final point of the evening Sunday at the Donald E. Young Center sealing a pair of victories for the Montana State University Billings volleyball team.

The Yellowjackets (3-1) topped University of Mary (1-2) 3-1 (25-15, 25-13, 18-25, 25-23), before taking down host Black Hills State University (5-5) in five sets (16-25, 25-20, 25-20, 13-25, 15-13). Monck had 30 kills on the day while Skylar Reed had 31 as the duo led the Yellowjacket offense.

“We did a great job of battling two great teams today,” said MSUB head coach Casey Williams. “It wasn’t pretty the whole time but we did a great job of staying engaged, positive, and relentless throughout the entirety of the day. We had some players step up into roles throughout the day and help lead us to the wins. Hailey Carroll, Carlyn Whitney, and Marissa Logozzo had great matches. I am excited to get back out on the court tomorrow.”

Match 1 – MSU Billings 3, University of Mary 1 (25-15, 25-13, 18-25, 25-23)

Hayden’s career-high seventh block of the match won it for MSUB, as the Yellowjackets held off a late push by the Marauders to take home the fourth set 25-23 and end the match.

Bayli Monck had four blocks to help MSUB reach its highest total of the year with nine in the match, and the senior also completed a double-double with 15 kills and 16 digs. Reed led MSUB in kills for the second-straight match, racking up 18 and finishing her second-straight double-double with a dozen digs. Marissa Logozzo led the team with 19 digs and Hannah Hashbarger had 44 assists to pace the Yellowjacket offense.

After losing the first point of each of the first two sets, MSUB never trailed the rest of the way en route to setting the momentum with early victories of 25-15 and 25-13. Mary slipped behind 14-10 and never got closer the rest of the opening set, which was finished off with a dual block from Hayden and Monck. MSUB broke an 8-8 tie in the second set by winning six consecutive points, and the Marauders never recovered.

UM swung things into its favor in the third set, getting the job done in a must-win scenario. Holding an 18-16 lead late, Mary rattled off six straight points in what proved to be the game-defining stretch of play.

The fourth frame was the most competitive of the match, with neither team leading by more than two points until MSUB won six in-a-row to go up 16-12 on a loud kill from Monck. Mary won seven of the next nine points however, as the set went back-and-forth into the final points. Coming out of a timeout with the score tied 23-23, Reed blasted down a kill and Hayden and Olivia Schwartz rose up to deny a final attack attempt by Olivia Dickerson and secure the win for the ‘Jackets.

Match 2 – MSU Billings 3, Black Hills State University 2 (16-25, 25-20, 25-20, 13-25, 15-13)

The Yellowjackets followed their worst set of the day with their best, as they shook off a 25-13 defeat in the fourth to pull out the 15-13 triumph in the decisive frame.

Monck had 15 kills, five digs, and three block assists in the second match, while Reed finished with 13 kills, five digs, and a pair of service aces. Hashbarger totaled 27 assists and 10 digs, Maddi Vigil added 13 digs, and Hailey Carroll chipped in 12 assists as well.

Black Hills State jumped out with a decisive victory in the opening set, pushing ahead 14-7 early and never looking back en route to the 25-16 triumph.

SUB tilted momentum into its favor in the second set, making its move trailing 20-18. The Yellowjackets won the final seven points of the set, with a final kill from Reed finishing off a 25-20 victory that evened the match. The Yellowjackets led from start-to-finish in the third set, with kills from Hayden, Hashbarger, and a service ace from Vigil highlighting a run that built a 14-7 edge early on.

Black Hills State won seven straight points at the outset of Set 4, as it pushed ahead 9-2 and set the tone to stay alive in the match. The hosts posted another stretch of seven out of eight points midway through, putting the set out of reach with a 20-8 advantage.

Hoopman led BHSU with 15 kills, while Haedyn Rhoades had a team-best 13 digs and Karly Marx led the way with 26 assists. MSUB won despite being out-hit .191-.146 in the match, as the ‘Jackets enjoyed a 10-7 advantage in the blocks department.

UP NEXT: The ‘Jackets return to the court Monday night, with a 7 p.m. match at South Dakota School of Mines in Rapid City, South Dakota. Live video for Monday’s match will be available online here [portal.stretchinternet.com] and live statistics will be available online here [gorockers.com].