The Retort

Athletics at a Glance

September 25th, 2009 by MSUB Athletics For The Retort

Volleyball

Just over 24 hours later after a heartbreaking five-set loss at Alaska Fairbanks, the Montana State Billings volleyball team responded nicely with a 3-0 sweep (27-25, 25-18, 25-18) at Alaska Anchorage to earn its first Great Northwest Athletic Conference victory of the season. With the win, the Yellowjackets improved to 7-6 overall and 1-2 in league play.“It was a real solid performance tonight and the main thing is we were the aggressors all the way through and we got the job done tonight,” head coach Steve Smith said. “Even that run by UAF in the final game scoring five straight points we were able to get past that and finish them off.” The Yellowjackets were led by a solid effort from senior outside hitter Devon Crotteau who had 17 kills and nine digs to lead the team. Jill Trabing and Jen Boe had 13 and 10 digs, respectively, to lead the team. In the first set, UAA (8-5, 0-1 GNAC) was leading 24-22 when Crotteau tallied two straight kills to pull the set even. After a timeout by the Seawolves, Crotteau came up with another kill for a 25-24 lead, which was the first lead of the set for the Yellowjackets since 7-6. Jody Lutz and Boe came up with a big block on the next play for the 27-25 win.“In the first set we didn’t play all that well, but we fought and scrapped and found a way to win the set,” Smith said. Set two was tight and tied 16-16 when UAA’s floor general and GNAC assists per game leader (9.91) left the game with the flu. The Seawolves were never able to recover as MSUB scored the final seven points of the set for a 25-18 win.“We played better in the second set and got on them and when their setter went out with the flu we smelled blood in the water and we jumped all over them from that moment on,” Smith said. “I hate to see someone go off the court like that but it is good that it wasn’t an injury and just the flu.” In the third set, the Yellowjackets put it on early and built an 18-10 lead, but the Seawolves rattled off five straight points to close the deficit to 23-18, but two-straight kills by Crotteau ended the match and sealed the victory.With the win, the Yellowjackets tie last season’s win total and earn their first sweep in the series since 2004. MSUB now has won five of the last six meetings with the Seawolves.For the match, the Yellowjackets hit .215 with 37 kills, 44 digs and 14 errors. The Seawolves hit .194 with 37 kills, 46 digs and 16 errors.The Yellowjackets return home to face cross-town rival, Rocky Mountain College on Tuesday at the Fortin Center and then host Saint Martin’s on Sept. 26 at 7 p.m., and Alaska Anchorage Sept. 28 at 7 p.m., in Alterowitz Gymnasium.

Cross Country

The Montana State Billings men’s and women’s cross country teams finished strong at the Montana State Fleet Feet Invitational Saturday. The Yellowjacket women finished eighth in the team standings out of 13 teams, while the men finished ninth out of 12 teams.On the women’s side, Lisa Minnehan was the first two finish the three-mile run for the Yellowjackets in 43rd place with a time of 19:07. Leah Thompson finished second on the team in 49th place with a time of 19:20. Weber State won on the women’s side, but Utah Valley State’s Mary Nothum won the race with a time of 17:10, beating Montana’s Katrina Drennen by nine seconds.In terms of the team standings, the women defeated Dickinson State, University of Great Falls, Carroll College, Rocky and Flathead Valley Community College. The Yellowjackets were just behind Concordia College for the top finishing non-Division I school. The MSUB men were led by Daniel Lombardi who finished 47th with a time of 27:07. He was followed by Ryan Blombeck who was 66th with a time of 28:27. Patrick Casey of Montana State won on the men’s side as he had a time of 24:54, edging Lynn Reynolds of Montana by one second in the five-mile run. The Yellowjackets will be back in action Sept. 25 at the Dickinson State Invitational. MSUB is scheduled to host the Yellowjacket Invitational on Oct. 10 at Riverfront Park. In addition, the annual Fun Run also will be run. The Fun Run begins at 9 a.m., followed by the Yellowjacket Invitational beginning at 10 a.m.

Soccer

On a very hot September day, the Montana State Billings men’s soccer team gave it all in a 1-1 tie with undefeated Seattle Pacific in both teams Great Northwest Athletic Conference openers. With the tie, the Yellowjackets stand at 4-2-1 overall and 0-0-1 in conference play. SPU now is 5-0-3 and 0-0-1 in conference play.

“Overall I think the 1-1 tie was a fair result today,” head coach Dan McNally said. “I thought we were the better team in the first half and it was disappointing we couldn’t add to our lead. In the second half, SPU played very well and made it difficult for us. I am disappointed with the goal we conceded, but I am proud of our guys’ effort on a very hot day. We will move forward and I feel very good about how the team is playing right now.”

The Yellowjackets opened the scoring as GNAC scoring leader, Sam Charles, tallied his ninth goal of the year as he took a great pass from Chris Andre and a chip from Jeremy DeHerrera as Charles beat to Falcon defenders and fired a shot past goalkeeper, Kaleb Kuehn, for the score in the 18th minute. The game remained 1-0 at half as MSUB held a 6-4 lead in shots and a 2-1 lead in corner kicks. The Falcons made three saves in the opening stanza and MSUB had one as the Yellowjackets had the ball in the offensive end for much of the half.

SPU came out in the second half with more vigor and held an 11-3 lead in shots for the half. MSUB goalkeeper, Matt Mitchell, made four second half saves.

The Falcons tallied six corner kicks in the second half alone and eight for the game. In the 72nd minute, SPU tied the game off a corner kick as Jon Pearman got his toe on the ball, knocking it off the post and in for the equalizer. In the waning moments of regulation, SPU had two good looks, but Mitchell was up to the challenge for the saves.

In the first overtime, SPU had another two good looks, but Mitchell stopped one and one ball sailed high as the game went into double overtime. Just a few seconds into the second overtime, MSUB’s Garion Holian had a good look, but the ball went high just over the crossbar.

The Yellowjackets will be back in action Sunday at 4 p.m., versus Jamestown College capping a four game home stand.MSUB begins streak of six-of-seven away from home Thursday at Western Washington at 7 p.m.