Skylights volleyball splits preseason conference tournament

Coming into the season, the Montana State University-Northern volleyball team hoped to make a jump in the Frontier Conference. While they have not begun their conference schedule yet, the Skylights got the chance to compete in the Preseason Frontier Conference Tournament at Armory Gymnasium this past weekend.

While the matches in the tournament did not go toward the season standings, it did give the Skylights the opportunity to show what they have this fall, as well as see what their opponents will have on the court. In their four matches over the course of Friday and Saturday, MSU-N went 2-2. After finishing near the bottom of the standings last season, MSU-N head coach Jerry Wagner was pleased with how his team played in their first conference action of the season.

"(We played) very well. Extremely happy about absolutely everything," Wagner said. "I'm absolutely 100 percent jacked up about being around this team."

The Skylights began the tournament Friday afternoon with a match against University of Montana Western. While the Skylights battled throughout that match, MSU-N lost 3-1 by scores of 23-25, 25-14, 24-26 and 24-26.

In the first set, the Bulldogs had momentum and built themselves a 22-17 lead. But the Skylights went on a 6-2 run to cut their deficit to one point. However, the Bulldogs hung on for the 25-23 victory. While they lost their opening set, the Skylights used their momentum from late in that set and carried it over to the second set that they won decisively 25-14.

After a weak second set, the Bulldogs battled in the third and fourth sets. In the third set, MSU-N and UMW battled all the way to a 24-24 tie. The Bulldogs then scored two straight points to win the set. The fourth set ended the same way with a 24-24 tie that UMW broke with two straight points to win the set and the match.

Looking to rebound, MSU-N played Montana Tech Friday night. The Skylights and Orediggers battled through the night but MSU-N ultimately won 3-2 and won their sets by scores of 25-23, 25-21, 19-25, 15-25 and 17-15.

The first set was a tight one that saw the teams battle to a 22-22 tie. MSU-N then scored two straight points thanks to kills from Elissa Lind and Rylee Burmester. After Montana Tech scored a point, Burmester won the set with another kill. The Skylights carried that momentum into the second set that they won 25-21 for a 2-0 lead in the match.

With the match on the line, the Orediggers played their best volleyball of the night. After MSU-N built themselves an 18-13 lead in the third set, Montana Tech came back to win, 25-19, to force another set. They then dominated the fourth set to win, 25-15, and force a fifth set.

"We let them back in," Wagner said. "We were out a little bit in set three and they reeled us in. It's all about runs."

Despite the momentum shift, the Skylights bounced back to win the fifth set, 17-15. At one point in the final set, Montana Tech led 15-14 with the chance for match point. But a kill from Alana Graves tied the set while a Montana Tech attack error and Burmester kill won the set and the match for the Skylights.

The Skylights continued the tournament Saturday afternoon with a 3-1 win over Carroll College. Just like many of their sets throughout the weekend, the Skylights had to battle throughout the first set. However, they ultimately lost, 28-26, to fall behind in the match.

The second set was another battle but this time the Skylights came out on top. MSU-N held the lead for most of the set but Carroll fought their way back to tie the set at 25. But the Skylights took momentum right back with a Graves kills and CC attack error to win the match, 27-25.

MSU-N and CC continued to battle in the third set but the Skylights pulled through down the stretch for a 25-23 victory. While the Saints played tough in the fourth set, MSU-N won, 25-18, to win the match, 3-1.

MSU-N ended the tournament with a Saturday night match against University of Providence. While the Skylights battled like they had all weekend, they lost to the Argonauts, 3-1, by scores of 21-25, 25-23, 13-25 and 22-25. In their lone win of the match, Wagner believes his team got the Argonauts out of their rhythm.

"The number one thing (Providence) does well is handle the ball well, and when they don't handle the ball, well, then you got a shot at them," Wagner said.

MSU-N went 2-18 in conference play last season, so their performance in this weekend's tournament hopefully means they are ready to make a jump. Even in their losses, Wagner believes the Skylights showed they should not be taken lightly by their conference opponents this fall.

"We have a lot of fight in the team and we're going to be sticking around," Wagner said. "They just can't have their way when they play us anymore. We're going to have our way and we're going to do some things that cause them some problems, and when we do, we'll be right there with them."

MSU-N volleyball will begin regular season conference play when they play Rocky Mountain College at Armory Gymnasium on Saturday at 6 p.m.

University of Montana, Western def. MSU-Northern

23-25, 25-14, 24-26, 24-26.

UMW - (kills-aces-blocks) Morgan Kirch 6-0-0; Kelsey Goddard 0-1-0; Katie Casagrande 0-1-0; KayLee Kopp 6-0-1; Danyel Martin 11-0-1; Emmah Peterson 2-0-5; Jazi Smith 4-0-1; Abbey Schwager 1-0-0; Morgan Stenger 9-0-2; Kaylee Fritz 0-4-0; Kaitlyn White 9-0-2; Peyton Vogl 0-0-0; Taylor Petersen 1-0-1.

MSU-N - (kills-aces-blocks) Abigail Ellison 8-0-1; Alyssa Pretty Weasel 10, 0-1; Shania Neubauer 0-0-0; Elissa Lind 2-1-0; Kaitlin Murdock 0-1-0; Alana Graves 11-0-3; Marlee Bender 4-0-2; Rylee Burmester 14-1-1; Emily Feller 4-0-2; Jessalyn Chvilicek 0-0-0.

MSU-Northern def. Montana Tech

25-23, 25-21, 19-25, 15-25, 17-15.

MT - (kills-aces-blocks) Hannah Oggerino 0-1-0; Maureen Jessop 8-1-4; Olivia Muir 17-0-5; Emma Carvo 0-1-0; Logan Reed 0-2-0; Taylor Henley 13-0-9; McKenna Kaelber 3-0-0; Sarah Hopcroft 1-0-0; Karina Mickelson 11-0-3; Sydney Parks 5-0-3; Hudsyn Dibrito 0-0-0.

MSU-N - (kills-aces-blocks) Hailie George 0-1-0; Alyssa Pretty Weasel 12-0-3; Shania Neubauer 0-0-0; Elissa Lind 18-1-1; Kaitlin Murdock 0-0-0; Alana Graves 13-0-1; Rylee Burmester 12-0-0; Emily Feller 3-0-2; Jada Sudbrack 5-0-3; Abigail Ellison 2-0-0; Shay Waldbillig 0-0-0; Jessalyn Chvilicek 0-0-0; Anastasija Dragovic 0-0-0; Marlee Bender 1-0-1.

MSU-Northern def. Carroll College

26-28, 27-25, 25-23, 25-18.

CC - (kills-aces-blocks) Kylie Kackman 0-0-0; Mara Lynch 0-0-0; Elizabeth Heuiser 15-1-3; Hannah Schweikert 1-0-0; Taelyr Krantz 15-0-0; Katherine McEuen 16-0-1; Ella Heckman 6-0-0; Julia Carr 0-0-0; Madde Boles 4-0-1; Lexie Gleasman 0-0-0; Lauren Sehenuk 0-0-0.

MSU-N - (kills-aces-blocks) Hailie George 0-0-0; Emily Adkins 0-0-0; Alyssa Pretty Weasel 4-0-1; Shania Neubauer 0-0-0; Elissa Lind 15-1-0; Kaitlin Murdock 0-0-0; Jessalyn Chvilicek 11-0-2; Alana Graves 13-0-3; Rylee Burmester 14-0-0; Emily Feller 5-0-1; Marlee Bender 2-0-0; Maddison Underdal 0-0-1; Olivia Isakson 0-0-0; Abigail Ellison 1-0-0; Jada Sudbrack 0-0-0.

Univeersity of Providence def. MSU-Northern

21-25, 25-23, 13-25, 22-25.

UP - (kills-aces-blocks) Taylor Christensen 0-2-0; Sadie Lott 10-1-0; Sacha Legros 0-0-0; Jenna Thorne 11-3-0; Bailey Christensen 4-0-1; Zoe Naugle 4-0-5; Cydney Finberg-Roberts 8-1-1; Cassi Kopsa 0-0-0; Mariah Jardine 14-0-4; Madysen Hoerner 2-0-0; Kylee Altmiller 1-0-0; Adysen Burns 0-0-0.

MSU-N - (kills-aces-blocks) Hailie George 0-0-0; Alyssa Pretty Weasel 9-0-2; Shania Neubauer 0-2-0; Elissa Lind 4-0-0; Kaitlin Murdock 0-0-0; Alana Graves 10-0-5; Marlee Bender 6-0-2; Rylee Burmester 14-0-0; Emily Feller 1-1-2; Abigail Ellison 2-0-1; Emily Adkins 1-0-0; Jessalyn Chvilicek 2-0-0; Olivia Isakson 0-0-0.