Powerful Bears sweep Skylights in Billings

The Montana State University-Northern volleyball team was hoping to start the second half of the Frontier Conference season with a big upset on the road. The nationally ranked Rocky Mountain College Battlin’ Bears had other ideas however.

On Thursday night at the Fortin Center in Billings, the No. 6 Bears swept the Skylights by scores of 25-21, 25-21 and 25-10. The loss dropped MSU-N to 1-5 in the Frontier while the Bears remained unbeaten in conference play.

Northern came into the match knowing full well it could hang with the NAIA powerhouse Bears, because the Skylights did so last month in Havre. And Thursday night, it was more of the same early on as MSU-N pushed RMC hard in the first two sets.

But unlike in Havre, where the Skylights and Bears played to a dramatic 32-30 third set at the Armory Gymnasium, the Bears wasted little time in putting MSU-N away. Rocky hit an astound .321 in the final set, and the Skylights could never get close. The win earned a season sweep for the Bears over the Skylights as well.

Defense was the main issue for Northern as RMC hit .233 for the match, and had 48 kills. Aleah Billis had a huge night all over the floor for RMC as she tallied 15 kills and 22 digs, while Mariah Stiffarm had 13 kills and a block.

Rocky’s defense was equally as good as Northern hit just .079 for the night. The Skylights had 33 kills, led by nine from senior Jessica Wilcox, while Cassie Krueger had seven and Cydney Auzenne added five. Erin Jensen had a solo block for the Skylights, while Jacy Vining had 23 digs and Emily Russell added 17 digs to go with 26 assists. Auzenne also had 15 digs.

Northern, which is now 9-13 overall, will have a day off before heading to Great Falls to take on arch rival UGF Saturday night. The Skylights are back home next Saturday to host UM-Western.

Rocky Mountain def. MSU-Northern

25-21, 25-21, 25-10

MSU-N – Kills 33 (Jessica Wilcox 9, Cassie Krueger 7), Assists 30 (Emily Russell 26), Aces 0, Digs 79 (Jacy Vining 23, Russell 17), Blocks 3 (Erin Jensen 1).

RMC – Kills 48 (A. Billis 15, M. Stiffarm 13), Assists 42 (T. Bertsch 38), Aces 4 (T. Hellerud 2), Digs 91 (A. Billis 22), Blocks 5 (Stiffarm 1).