Skylights go undefeated in Frontier-North Star Challenge

After several weeks on the road, the Montana State University-Northern volleyball team finally made its home debut at Armory Gymnasium this past weekend. On Friday and Saturday, the Skylights hosted the Frontier-North Star Conference Challenge, where teams from both conferences faced off.

Over the course of four matches, the Skylights played strong as they won all four of them. They started the weekend on Friday by winning in five sets (25-16, 20-25, 18-25, 25-22, 15-10) over Mayville State University. The Skylights then won in four sets (25-13, 25-13, 18-25, 25-20) over Presentation College Friday night.

The Skylights kept up their strong play Saturday morning with a 3-0 win (25-17, 25-23, 25-20) over Valley City State University. Later on Saturday afternoon, MSU-N won in three sets (25-22, 26-24, 25-23) against Dickinson State University to wrap up the weekend.

With a 4-0 record over the weekend, MSU-N head coach Jerry Wagner liked what he saw from his team.

"We outworked every team we played and that's the way we've been winning," Wagner said. "We've been winning with heart, determination, attitude and effort."

In their match against Mayville, the Skylights started the first set strong as they took a 6-0 lead. Over the next few minutes, the Skylights built themselves a 14-4 lead. The Comets found their stride with a 7-2 run to cut the deficit to 16-11 but the Skylights regained their composure to stretch the lead to 21-12. Despite a late push by the Comets, the Skylights went on to win the first set 25-16.

Looking to even the match, the Comets came out strong in the second set. After taking a 3-0 lead, the Comets continued to play well to extend the lead to 14-7. The Skylights eventually found their footing with a 13-6 run to tie the set 20-20. But the Skylights could not keep it up as the Comets scored five straight points to win the set, 25-20, to tie the match.

The Comets carried their momentum into the third set as they scored three straight points to take the lead. The Skylights tried to take momentum, but the Comets began to pull away with a 17-9 lead. MSU-N scored five straight points to get back into the match but the Comets held on for a 25-18 victory to take a 2-1 lead in the match.

The fourth set started with neither team taking advantage. But after battling to a 8-8 tie, the Skylights went on an 8-2 run to take a 16-10 lead. The Comets responded to fight their way back into the set as they cut the deficit to 24-23. But a kill from Alana Graves gave MSU-N the 25-23 victory to tie the match and force a fifth set.

With the match on the line, the Comets took momentum early in the fifth set. But they could not hold onto their 7-4 lead as the Skylights went on a 4-1 run to tie the set. The Skylights then ended the set on a 7-2 run to win, 15-10, to win the match.

"We're never out of it," Wagner said about winning the last two sets. "We've got an attitude right now, an infectious deal that we're not going to be denied."

Graves led the Skylights with 20 kills and Kaitlin Murdock led the team with 26 digs. Emily Feller had a strong performance with 13 kills, 36 assists and 23 digs.

The Skylights continued the weekend Friday night with their win over Presentation College. In the first set, the Skylights came out of the gates to build a 6-5 lead. They then picked up the pace to pull away over the rest of the set to win, 25-13, to take a 1-0 lead in the match.

The Saints took the lead early in the second set, but the Skylights responded to take firm control. Through the rest of the set, the Skylights cruised to a 25-13 victory to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

But momentum shifted toward the Saints in the third set. With the match on the line, the Saints scored eight straight points to take the lead. The Skylights tried to go on a run but the Saints continued to execute to build a 20-10 lead. The Skylights attempted another late push, but the Saints held on to win, 25-18, to force a fourth set.

The fourth set saw the Skylights and Saints exchange runs. Despite the Skylights' best efforts, they could not shake the Saints as they were tied 18-18. But the Skylights grabbed momentum with four straight points to retake the lead. The Saints tried to fight back but the Skylights went on to win, 25-20, to win the match in four sets.

Against the Saints, Graves and Alyssa Pretty Weasel recorded 13 kills for the Skylights. Macee Murphy had a strong night for MSU-N as she tied for the team lead with 25 assists and 13 digs in the match.

The Sylights continued their strong weekend Saturday morning with a victory over Valley City State University. But in the first set, the Vikings started strong to take an early 11-7 lead. The Skylights then responded with an 8-0 run to take a 15-11 lead. The Vikings cut the deficit to two points but the Skylights used a 5-0 run to build a 22-15 lead. The Skylights then closed it out for a 25-17 win to take a 1-0 lead in the match.

The Vikings and Skylights went back and forth to start the second set. With the set tied, 9-9, the Skylights took control with a 4-0 run to take the lead. But the Vikings continued to battle as the teams fought to a 22-22 tie late in the set. The Skylights grabbed momentum again with a 3-1 run to win the set, 25-23, for a 2-0 lead in the match.

With the match on the line, the Vikings started the third set strong to take a 12-8 lead. The Skylights kept with it to the point the Vikings only had a 16-15 lead. The Skylights then scored three straight points to take the lead. The Vikings responded with a run of their own to take a 20-19 lead but the Skylights ended the set on a 6-0 run to win the set and the match.

"We probably did our best job of having a really good team out of system," Wagner said about the win over the Vikings. "That's why we won that in three. It's not easy but we're learning lessons here and there as we go."

The Skylights wrapped up the tournament with a tough three-set win over Dickinson State. In their first set, the Skylights came out strong to take a quick 6-0 lead. After a run by the Blue Hawks, the Skylights retook momentum to build a 21-15 lead. The Hawks swung back strong with a 7-2 run to tie the set 22-22. But the Skylights kept their composure as they scored three straight points to win the set to take a 1-0 lead in the match.

The second set saw the Skylights and Hawks go back and forth. With the set tied, 16-16, the Hawks took momentum with a run to take a 20-17 lead. But the Skylights came right back with three straight points to tie the set once again. The Skylights and Hawks continued to go at each other to make it 24-24. A pair of attack errors by the Hawks gave MSU-N two straight points to win the set and take a 2-0 lead in the match.

Looking to extend the match, the Hawks started the third set on a 4-0 run. The Skylights kept with it and were able to tie the set 9-9. Over the next several minutes, the Skylights and Hawks went back and forth with neither team taking full control. But with the set tied, 16-16, the Skylights went on a run to take a 24-20 lead. The Hawks scored three straight points to extend the set, but an attack error by the Hawks gave the Skylights the 25-23 win to win the match.

"I feel good that we were able to pull it out. It wasn't easy," Wagner said about defeating the Hawks. "When our effort and our attitudes are high, I like our chances."

Thanks to their strong performance over the weekend, the Skylights improved to 8-1 in their non-conference slate this season. The Skylights will begin competing in the Frontier Conference over the next few weeks, so the experience they gained in this tournament will be crucial going forward.

"We won a lot of close sets and that can only add up in your favor on how to win close sets and what it takes," Wagner said. "There's a lot of confidence being built in this young group."

The MSU-N volleyball team will next play this Friday and Saturday in the Preseason-Frontier Conference Tournament in Billings.

MSU-N def. Mayville

25-16, 20-25, 18-25, 25-23, 15-10

MAY - (kills-aces-blocks) Samantha Passa 5-1-2; Payton Richter 0-0-0; Cora Johnson 4-0-5; Rachel Hill 1-1-1; Elora Passa 15-0-2; Abby Cox 6-0-1; Claire Bjorneby 0-0-0; Nicole Kortan 12-0-2; Emily Condon 0-1-1; Thyra Peterick 0-0-0; Ashley Pyburn 8-0-4; Natalie Hadrava 0-1-0; Abby Berry 0-0-0. Totals 51-4-18.

MSU-N - (kills-aces-blocks) Alyssa Pretty Weasel 10-0-4; Josie Hasler 7-0-0; Jessalyn Chviliceck 14-0-2; Alana Graves 20-0-5; Marlee Bender 5-0-3; Emily Feller 13-1-3; Hailie George 0-1-0; Bailey Egan 1-0-0; Macee Murphy 2-0-0; Kaitlin Murdock 0-0-0. Totals 72-2-17.

MSU-N def. PC

25-13, 25-13, 18-25, 25-20

PC - (kills-aces-blocks) Makynna Snow 3-0-0; Laura Babcock 0-0-0; Cassidy Keller 0-1-0; Savannah Koga 2-0-1; Makyah Albrecht 10-0-1; Grace Tobin 20-1-3; Olivia Corey 0-1-0; Maggie Heesch 8-03; Sydney Miller 0-0-0; Taylin Boettcher 0-0-0; Laney Carlin 1-0-0. Totals 44-2-8.

MSU-N (kills-aces-blocks) Hailie George 0-0-0; Bailey Egan 0-2-0; D'Lorah Cedillo 0-0-0; Alyssa Pretty Weasel 13-0-3; Macee Murphy 1-0-0; Josie Hasler 4-1-1; Kaitlin Murdock 0-0-0; Jessalyn Chviliceck 9-0-1; Alana Graves 13-1-3; Marlee Bender 5-0-4; Emily Feller 11-0-2. Totals 56-4-14.

MSU-N def. VCS

25-17, 25-23, 25-20

VCS - (kills-aces-blocks) Bailey Nelson 9-0-0; Delani Clarke 0-2-0; Morgan Nelson 7-0-0; Lexi Leroux 0-0-0; Danielle Hagler 8-0-2; Morgan Freije 2-0-1; Emma Lucas 8-0-1; Brooke Anderson 0-0-0; Sadie Hansen 4-1-0; JayCee Ritcher 0-3-0. Totals 38-6-4.

MSU-N - (kills-aces-blocks) Hailie George 0-0-0; D'Lorah Cedillo 0-0-0; Alyssa Pretty Weasel 11-0-1; Macee Murphy 2-0-0; Josie Hasler 5-0-0; Kaitlin Murdock 0-1-0; Jessalyn Chviliceck 5-0-1; Alana Graves 7-1-3; Marlee Bender 4-0-1; Emily Feller 5-1-1. Totals 39-3-7.

MSU-N def. Dickinson State

25-22, 26-24, 25-23

DS - (kills-aces-blocks) Brooklyn Wyllie 4-0-0; Madi Wahl 6-1-1; McKenzie Moser 3-0-0; Bailey Pearcy 0-0-0; Katie Collum 10-1-1; Mary Schnell 7-0-0; Jacklyn Belfourd 1-0-0; Alyssa Andress 2-0-0; Jenna Swope 0-1-0; Haydin Henschel 0-1-0; Riley Faller 0-0-0. Totals 33-4-2.

MSU-N - (kills-aces-blocks) Bailey Egan 0-1-0; D'Lorah Cedillo 1-0-1; Alyssa Pretty Weasel 6-0-2; Jessalyn Chviliceck 8-0-0; Marlee Bender 4-0-2; Emily Feller 8-1-1; Hailie George 0-0-0; Macee Murphy 1-0-0; Kaitlin Murdock 0-1-0; Alana Graves 12-0-1. Totals 40-3-7.